Niche Magazine Issue 59 by Cross Productions

#FindYourNiche

July-September 2024

FINALLY A FOOD FESTIVAL WE DESERVE

20 PAGES OF LEICESTER CREATIVES

SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT: THE LIFE AND SOULS OF LEICESTER

THE NEW AESTHETICS ERA

HOW AMEDICS CLINIC IS REVOLUTIONISING PATIENT CARE

Settling

Directors

Negotiating

Removing

Disputes

Shareholders’

Negotiating

Dear Leicestershire, The honour would be entirely if you could attend our little party.

Yours sincerely, Niche

Will you accept the inVitation to the Niche Business Awards 2024?

To book your seats and attend, scan the QR code or visit nichemagazine.co.uk/awards

Celebrating our 10th September 6, 2024

6pm-Late

Athena Events Venue

Black-Tie/1920s

What people say about Airborne Mortgage Solutions

HELEN FROM LEICESTER

January 2020

HELEN FROM LEICESTER

January 2020

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Airborne Mortgage solutions. It is evident that Mr Lodhia is passionate about what he does and the service received is therefore exceptional. Thank you for turning a daunting experience into a positive one. Forever grateful“

DAN FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT

November 2020

DAN FROM THE ISLE OF WIGHT

November 2020

A mortgage that suits your lifestyle is out there We’ll find it for you

BECCA FROM LEICESTER

January 2020

BECCA FROM LEICESTER

January 2020

“Our first mortgage, we had no idea where to start. But after the very first call with Kamlesh he guided us through the whole process from the beginning, right through to the day we collected our keys. With Kamlesh’ professional experience and knowledge he was able to secure us a great mortgage offer. Brilliant mortgage broker, I definitely recommend and will be very happy to use the service of Airborne Mortgage Solutions in the future.

What our clients say:

“We’ve just got the keys to our dream home in St Lawrence on the Sunny Isle of Wight. Kamlesh was fantastic throughout the whole process. He made things super clear and gave candid advice throughout. Moving home is stressful, but Kamlesh always gave us reassurance and belief. We genuinely felt he cared about what happened to us which makes a big difference - would highly recommend. Many thanks Shelley and Dan.”

ASHOK FROM BIRMINGHAM

August 2020

ASHOK FROM BIRMINGHAM

August 2020

Big THANK YOU for your help in getting our first home!

FEISAL FROM LEICESTER

Mr Lodhia and Savraj were incredibly professional and prompt with my mortgage. Mr Lodhia was honest, well informed and was able to offer sound advice. I was given options within 24 hours, and they remained supportive throughout the process. I was thoroughly impressed and grateful

January 2020

“I have been using Airborne for my buy to let mortgage finance for many years now and the service and mortgage rates have been the best I have experienced whilst doing my competitive research. I would highly

“I have been using Airborne for my buy to let mortgage finance for many years now and the service and mortgage rates have been the best I have experienced whilst doing my

Kam and his team at Airborne have been a real game changer for us. They were understanding of our requirements from the beginning and accessible on the phone throughout the process. We had a fairly complex case, but this didn’t stop Kam from finding a tailored solution for us, and we will be using Airborne again moving forward

“Having used Airborne Mortgage Solutions on several occasions. I have no hesitation in recommending them. Altogether a first-class professional service. Kamlesh at Mortgage Solutions was really, really helpful when we were looking to move - he made it possible. We also went to Kamlesh when we wanted to re-mortgage & he found us a fantastic deal. Since then, Kamlesh has also been on hand to help with advice when needed! 100% recommend, 5* - Thank you!”

KRISHAN FROM LEICESTER

September 2020

KRISHAN FROM LEICESTER

September 2020

My brothers and I were looking to jointly buy our first home and weren’t sure of how to go about it, High street banks couldn’t help us. A friend recommended Kamlesh at Airborne Mortgage Solutions. He understood what we wanted and advised us on a great mortgage

“An excellent mortgage broker. Very professional and keeps you in the loop. We managed to get our mortgage very fast and without any issues. Always just a phone call away to give support and advice. Kamlesh explains the process and provide options as well and answering any questions you may have. We are first time buyers and it was a nice easy smooth process. I

EDITORIAL

Editor: Kerry Smith kerry@crossproductions.co.uk

Senior Journalist: Emily Miller emily.miller@crossproductions.co.uk

Feature Writer: Tom Young tom@crossproductions.co.uk

ART STUDIO

Head of Design Studio: Susan Holmes susan.holmes@crossproductions.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY

Hitz Rao Photography Pete Martin Photography

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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

The team is gearing up for our tenth year of the Niche Business Awards this September. We’re always honoured to spotlight the trailblazers who make Leicestershire a thriving hub of economic activity, but particularly so this year as we celebrate a whole decade of supporting local businesses. Thank you to all those who have been part of our journey.

The highly anticipated Top 200 Leicestershire Businesses listing is now out and we’ve worked with De Montfort University to analyse the top 30. It highlights the remarkable achievements and growth stories of companies that have significantly contributed to the local economy.

We’re excited to feature our front cover interview with Ameera Laher of Amedics Clinic. Ameera shares her inspiring journey in healthcare, the philosophy behind the clinic, and her vision for the future of facial aesthetic services. Her dedication to improving patient care and her innovative approaches to wellness are truly inspiring, making her a remarkable figure in our community.

One of the highlights of this issue is our exclusive interview with BBC Interior Design Masters contestant Hannah Drakeford. The story makes up part of the creative businesses theme that runs through the issue, which includes Makers’ Yard, LCB Depot, Barry Taylor Laugh Therapy, Creative Collaborators, Elevate Studios, and the Bring the Paint initiative.

Our coverage of recent social events reflects the heart and soul of Leicestershire. We bring you insights from the East Midlands Real Entrepreneurs’ Club Awards, Leicestershire Law Society Awards, Alternative Business Awards, and the Kazzoo Pink Tie Ball.

Looking ahead, Leicester’s calendar is packed with exciting events. Leicester Pride promises a colourful and inclusive celebration; the Kith & Kin Hospitality Awards will honour the stars of our local hospitality sector; and we have all the information on the brand new Leicester Food Festival.

Disclaimer – Niche Magazine and Cross Productions Ltd are fully protected by copyright; no part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without the complete and expressed permission of the publisher. The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy, however there can be no liability accepted by the publisher for errors and omissions. We can under no circumstance be held responsible for any materials, matter or photographical copy submitted for publication or not within the website or magazine. We cannot be held responsible or liable for any breaches of copyright from adverts, materials or photography or any other such material supplied by a third party. The views and opinions expressed within our publications are not necessarily those of the publisher or indeed Niche Magazine or any featured parties.

JULY-SEPT 2024

THIS ISSUE

48 Top 200 Leicestershire Companies in brief

71 Exclusive interview with BBC’s Interior Design Masters Hannah Drakeford

85 Makers Yard: visit Leicester’s most creative hub with us

EVERY ISSUE

08 Business news at a glance

13 Q3 Business Booth

59 Lifestyle pages

75 Culture features

98 Open Office ON THE COVER

60 REBOOTING THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY

Amedics Clinic on sculpting a revolution in facial aesthetics

charity saved from closure 20 The advice of a divorce lawyer turned coach 24 The therapeutic benefits of laughter at work 27 Landmark Motorsport Legal cases won in Leicester

29 Networking legal with Ashby Connect 30 New tax rules for associated companies

39 Nelsons’ family team success increases demand for mediation

42 New platform launched for creative freelancers 45 The pension problem 46 A new vision for eyewear

48 Top 200 Leicestershire Companies

50 What happened at the Real Entrepreneurs’ Awards

53 Winners of Leicestershire Law Society Awards

54 Kazzoo IT’s Pink Tie Ball

56 All-new hospitality awards for Leicestershire

LIFESTYLE

TRENDS, VIEWS, AND PERSONAL STORIES

59 Zander Murray to co-host Leicester Pride

64 A night away at Mallory Meadows

68 Sam’s epic journey peddling for pubs

69 Step by step guide to buying your first home

71 BBC’s Interior Design Masters: At home with Hannah Drakeford

CULTURE

ARTS, HERITAGE, SPORT, AND WHAT’S ON

75 New food festival puts Leicester on the map

76 Find the newest Bring The Paint artworks

79 Reducing arts barriers faced by people of colour

80 The rise of podcasting

82 & Juliet comes to Curve

83 The renaissance of gaming

84 Reviewed: Mixala tea blends

85 Inside Makers Yard

97 Lamp 5k: Your Challenge, Your Choice

WBR GROUP INTRODUCES FOUR-DAY WORKING WEEK

Leicester’s WBR Group (WBR), is pioneering the future of work with the introduction of a four-day working week. Representatives say the initiative has been a resounding success, redefining productivity, employee wellbeing and work/life balance.

During an interview at the Wall Street Journal CEO Summit, CEO Tom Moore presented the benefits and challenges to business leaders. He said: “Our decision to implement a four-day working week was inspired by extensive international research which showed that employees who have more time to rest and recharge are more productive during their working hours.”

WBR’s transition to a four-day working week is their strategic move to become “the employer of choice” in Leicester, aiming to boost staff retention and recruitment while maintaining efficiency.

Paige Holvey, Client Associate said: “Just a few weeks into the trial, I have found that I plan my work in advance more and structure my days better. This has come naturally to me, as I now look ahead at my availability, and I know what can and cannot be achieved. This in turn helps me manage expectations both internally and externally.”

A KING’S HONOUR

Six Leicestershire companies have been congratulated by The Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire Mike Kapur OBE after being granted the King’s Award for Enterprise. The awards recognise outstanding achievement by UK businesses in Innovation, International Trade, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.

Mike Kapur OBE said: “Winning a King’s Award for Enterprise requires the applicant to prove to an independent and distinguished panel of judges that they have exceeded a very high bar of achievement and I congratulate Leicestershire’s class of 2024 on the hard work, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit they have all shown. I look forward to presenting each of them with their Awards in the coming months.

Coalville-based Zeeko Ltd has the distinction of winning in both Innovation and International Trade, making them one of only five double winners in the UK.

THE OTHER LEICESTERSHIRE WINNERS ARE:

CMS Cepcor Coalville – International Trade

Devol Kitchens Loughborough –International Trade

Horiba MIRA Hinckley – Sustainable Development

NMS International Group Market

Harborough – International Trade

Winbro Group Technologies Shepshed)–Innovation

Zeeko Coalville

- Innovation, International Trade

WORDS BY OWEN CHATTAWAY

MAJOR MOVE FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDER AS EMA TRAINING LAUNCHES IN LEICESTER

Derby-based apprenticeship provider EMA Training Ltd set up its Leicester Hub on July 1.

Recently celebrating its 10-year anniversary, EMA Training was founded in 2013 by Managing Director Tracey Mosley. The company provides students with apprenticeship training across finance, marketing and data technology.

Gemma Orton, who has worked amongst the business and charity community across Leicestershire, joins the team as regional director for the Leicester Hub. She said: “I believe there is a huge gap across Leicestershire for the provision of high-quality apprenticeship training, but also and very importantly, for businesses to collaborate with a local apprenticeship provider who genuinely cares about supporting them in growing the next generation of our business community.

“Tracey and I met when we were 16 years old – both of

us commencing on our apprenticeship journeys at the time – and so I’m a huge ambassador for apprenticeships and the opportunities that can come from this chapter for both student and business. I’m so excited to be working with Tracey. Our vision and values have always been so well aligned and I think it can only mean really positive and exciting stuff for the future.”

Tracey Mosley commented: “We have been frequently approached over the years by businesses, parents and school leavers, to bring our brand to Leicester. Timing is crucial and we needed to ensure we had a Regional Director capable of driving this initiative forward successfully and I believe that Gemma Orton is that person. With her established relationships in Leicester, her drive, ambition, and proven track record, she is the ideal fit for our future plans. In the 20-plus years I have known her, she has excelled in everything she undertakes, which excites not only me but the whole of the EMA team.”

LEICESTER COLLEGE REACHES FOR THE STARS

Leicester College has received planning consent to build a new, state-of-the-art aeronautical and advanced technological education and training facility at its Abbey Park Campus in the city.

It will be used to support and inspire the next generation of aviation and space engineering professionals. Labour market analytics provider Lightcast predicts England will need more than 10,000 additional aerospace engineers by 2033.

The new training facility will enable Leicester College to deliver Level 4 and 5 technical skills programmes. The build is due for completion by May 2025, and has been made possible by a successful grant application to the Office for Students.

Leicester City Council has approved the design of the two-storey building, which will house industry standard aeronautical and space specialist equipment and machinery, including wind tunnels, turbo jet trainers and flight simulators.

Respected figure backs EMC’s Manifesto for Growth 2024

Anjuu Trevedi MBE was part of an East Midlands Chamber (EMC) delegation to Westminster to launch its 2024 Manifesto for Growth, which is part of the continuing process of lobbying Government on the demands and needs of the region’s businesses.

Joining the launch of the manifesto back in the spring, she said: “The 2024 manifesto, and other essential work the Chamber does to promote the East Midlands economy, plays a critical role in shaping policy and future investment decisions for the East Midlands – and in helping to overcome the hurdles that have inhibited growth in our region.

“The manifesto is looking to eliminate the barriers to doing business, it is asking for a more equitable and fairer business environment, incentives for businesses to upskill and retain their people, and of course support for innovation and productivity measures to deliver greater regional business growth.

“It was really important for me to join the delegation and to lend my support for the Chamber and

the manifesto launch, as one of the few vehicles and organisations representing the needs of our region.”

Head of knowledge exchange and innovation at De Montfort University (DMU), Anjuu is also Twycross Zoo’s senior partnerships development manager for the new National Science and Conservation Centre (NSCC). She commented there was lots of change for business to navigate right now –such as devolution, the creation of combined authorities and transitions of the LEPs, so it was especially important that industry has a joined-up and unified voice within the region.

“For me, the Chamber is doing that essential function through the manifesto. It looks forward, plans for the future, and puts the needs of our region first.

“Going to London and pitching the manifesto gave us an opportunity to communicate with and influence what happens in our region. For instance, it also provided an excellent opportunity to meet the new East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward, in the run up to her election.”

A decade of Leicester Business Festival

The Leicester Business Festival celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, taking place from November 4-15, when it will feature around 80 events.

Businesses across Leicestershire will be taking part in the two weeks of celebrations, holding events ranging from seminars and expert panel discussions to workshops and conferences. The fortnight will also include the EMC Leicestershire Business Awards, on November 8.

In the 10 years since the first festival there have been 938 events, which the organisers say have been attended by an estimated 43,000 people. The mixture of digital and in-person sessions over the years have included round table discussions, product demonstrations, quizzes, showroom tours and even stand-up comedy.

Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Our partnership is long-standing and year-after-year the festival has given us the opportunity to champion the economic vitality of Leicestershire.”

 ANJUU TREVEDI MBE

East Midlands Chamber’s Manufacturing and Trade Conference

The annual Manufacturing and Trade Conference, held by East Midlands Chamber (EMC), brought together keynote speakers from regional organisations.

The conference at Loughborough University unpicked the “four I’s” outlined in EMC’s Manifesto for Growth 2024 – Investment, Innovation, Infrastructure, and International Trade –

and included networking opportunities, exhibits, workshops and panel discussions.

Head of special projects at EMC, Richard Blackmore, said: “In a year of political and economic change, the Manufacturing and Trade Conference was a chance for businesses to explore the opportunities in the East Midlands and maximise growth potential, while

also looking at the challenges faced by these changes.

“The key focus of the conference this year was breaking down the asks in the Manifesto for Growth 2024 that we presented to Westminster in March, going into each of the asks and looking at the interaction between what those asks are and what the manufacturing and trade industries need.”

Partners who supported the event were Loughborough University, East Midlands Airport, East Midlands Freeport, Geldards and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.

Professor Nick Jennings, vice-chancellor and president of Loughborough University, said: “Here in the East Midlands, we are perfectly placed to maximise the opportunities we have available to us.

“We are in the geographical heart of the UK. We have world-renowned universities and centres of excellence that provide a talent pipeline for the region and beyond.

“And we have a broad spectrum of industry specialisms, from advanced manufacturing and low carbon energy to space and life sciences.

“We’re doing a lot. With additional investment, we can do a lot more.”

East Midlands Manufacturing Network groups grows to six

There are now six East Midlands Manufacturing Network (EMNN) groups running across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Nottinghamshire, each meeting every eight weeks.

Between them, they have 400 members, including companies such as moulding and woodworking specialist Gordon Ellis and Co based

in Castle Donington.

A new branch was recently created covering the county of Leicestershire and based in Loughborough – an important historical centre for manufacturing as well as further and higher education.

Membership is free and open to manufacturers of any size. It also entitles members to complimentary membership of Make UK.

Criteria for joining the network:

● You are a senior manager or leader

● Your business is based in the Chamber area of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire

● Your business makes something.

Full details on how to join over 400 members in the East Midlands Manufacturing Network can be found at emmn.co.uk.

Business Booth

YOUR QUARTERLY ROUNDUP ON TWO OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS AFFECTING BUSINESS IN 2024 BROUGHT TO YOU BY

TWO INDUSTRY EXPERTS

FINANCE

DARREN WILLOUGHBY Director at 2XL Commercial

LENDING FROM THE RIGHT SOURCES

Applying for finance can be daunting, especially for our businesses.

There is a multitude of reasons why you might look into finance for your businesses. It could be to purchase an asset such as property or equipment, assist with cashlflow to fulfil an order, assist with bringing in a new member of staff, or to help pay off loans and consolidate debts.

Whatever the reason, a few staunch principles remain the same when assessing whether a lender will support you and the PARTS model (Purpose, Amount, Repayment, Term, Security).

PURPOSE

What is the loan for? This needs to be specific and can’t just be that you fancy some money. The reason for the loan must have a tangible benefit to the business.

AMOUNT

Again, be specific in what you need and a breakdown of what it’s for.

REPAYMENT

How is the business going to pay this back? An old adage on this is: don’t tell me show me. Can you demonstrate this by previous trading performance or cashflow/profit projections.

JUST BE TRANSPARENT AND THE LENDER WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE A VIEW. IF YOU TRY TO HIDE ANYTHING, IT COULD BE VERY

DAMAGING

TERM

Over what duration do you want to borrow? Lenders like to loan over the useful lifetime of an asset. So, if you’re buying a property, you may well get up to 30 years; a vehicle five to seven

years; and even less for something with a less useful lifespan.

SECURITY

In simple terms, if you can’t repay, how does the lender recoup the money?

AND FINALLY…

The final thing really is to be honest. If you try to hide anything at all in your application that subsequently comes out when a bank is investigating, it’s a big no-no from day one. Everyone can have things in their background, just be transparent and the lender will have the option to take a view. If you try to hide anything, it could be very damaging.

If these key principles can be met, you have every chance of being successful when applying for finance. Failing that, you could use a finance broker who has whole of market access and experience in preparing lending applications. But that would just be a blatant plug wouldn’t it (insert smiley face emoji).

LAW

RIK PANCHOLI Partner and Solicitor at Nelsons

VITAL MEETINGS FOR PROGRESS

Going into the last two quarters of the calendar year, it’s time for business owners to start thinking about opportunities which may present themselves. There are four professionals you may want to have a coffee with to discuss those opportunities.

1. YOUR ACCOUNTANT

It’s worth looking at your management accounts and understanding if you are on track to achieve those budgets you set out right at the start of the financial year. Do those projections still look achievable? This helps to plan for any extra cash flow needed or to create surplus reserves for the conversation with your corporate lawyer (see point four below).

2. YOUR INSURER

Often overlooked until it is needed, a conversation with your insurer can help to make sure your business has sufficient cover in place for those unexpected disasters. They can also help in the event of litigation or in making sure the insurance levels keep up with the growth of your business.

3. YOUR BANKER

A regular conversation with your bank will inform you of any facilities you may need, any opportunities

which may be available within their network and how far you can push your business (because you already have your growth projections to hand following the meeting with your accountant!).

OFTEN OVERLOOKED UNTIL IT IS NEEDED, A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR INSURER CAN HELP TO MAKE SURE YOUR BUSINESS HAS SUFFICIENT COVER

4. YOUR CORPORATE LAWYER

When thinking about opportunities, it is important to know whether you are geared up to grow through acquisition or whether you are really after organic growth. It also helps to have a clear understanding of what’s needed to grow through acquisition and if your accountant, insurer and banker are all lined up with your corporate lawyer, you should be able to make fully informed decisions on how to maximise your next opportunity.

So… is it time to arrange those meetings?

A blessing from the Gods

MOUNT OLYMPUS WAS THE CHOSEN SETTING OF HOMELESSNESS CHARITY FALCON SUPPORT SERVICES TO ANNOUNCE IT HAD BEEN SAVED FROM CLOSURE

O“It felt amazing to reach the top FOR PEOPLE IN RECOVERY, GETTING OFF THE STREETS IS A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB. OUR CHALLENGE PALES IN COMPARISON TO THEIR DAILY STRUGGLES

n the brink of closure due to funding cuts, Falcon Support Services has been saved thanks to the kindness and generosity of local businesses, public donations, sponsorship events, and grants amounting to over £130k.

Speaking from the summit of Mount Olympus in Greece (the home of the Greek Gods, in an Olympic year), the centre’s fundraising and communications manager Lee Hardy revealed they had raised enough to save the homelessness charity based at The Falcon Centre in Loughborough.

of Mount Olympus with the team,” he said. “This is a testament to the hard work and achievements of the last six months. These funds will help make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people in Charnwood and Leicestershire.

The ascent – which raised £6,000 itself – took place between March 21-25 and was the pinnacle of the fundraising activities. Completely self-funded by the team of explorers, Lee was joined on the adventure by charity trustee Alicia Butterfield, Emma Tattersdill, Environmental Partner at Bexley Beaumont law firm, and Adrian, one of Lee’s army friends. Together, they faced treacherous conditions on their 2,900-metre climb. When they reached the summit on March 23, they flew a flag bearing the names of a dozen local businesses that had stepped in to raise the vital funds.

Falcon Support Services and The Falcon Centre provide crucial support to around 30 young men and women in need. They have a shelter with 30 beds in Pinfold Gate, Loughborough, and the service is a beacon of hope for hundreds of vulnerable people, providing them with essential support to get back on their feet and into their own homes.

“For people in recovery, getting off the streets is a mountain to climb. Our challenge pales in comparison to their daily struggles. But we are still very proud to be helping to raise funds that will give some of the most vulnerable people in our society the support they need to scale their own mountain.”

Lee is no stranger to expeditions, having scaled Mera Peak in the Himalayas, and a winter ascent of Mt Toubkal in Morocco, raising funds for Falcon. He believes that doing a yearly expedition for a charity he is passionate about is essential for his wellbeing, having worked at the charity for the past 18 months, he has seen first-hand the difference those funds will make to the people it helps.

Donations are still being accepted at falconsupportservices.org.uk.

Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE

Big turn out for the launch of new Leicester business

The Alternative Divorce Company

A NEW LEICESTER BUSINESS, THE ALTERNATIVE DIVORCE COMPANY, RECENTLY HELD

ITS

LAUNCH TO A PACKED AUDIENCE IN THE SKY LOUNGE OF AFFILIATES AT MATTIOLI WOODS

Renowned lawyer turned divorce coach Dr Glynis Wright MBE launched her new venture The Alternative Divorce Company in May, compered by BBC Radio Leicester presenter Jo Hayward. Dr Glynis gave the keynote speech, explaining her vision to transform the way that people in breakup are supported to reach amicable and costeffective solutions which allow them choice over their breakup journey.

The company’s concept? Bringing together, under one roof, every type of expert and support specialist that someone in divorce or breakup might need to be well informed and emotionally supported throughout.

At the heart of the service is the work of Dr Glynis, who is a certified divorce coach. She draws on her wealth of experience as a former senior family lawyer spanning many years to provide specialist coaching on both an emotional and practical level to meet the needs of each individual client or couple.

to save their marriage or relationship as well as those who have decided to end it.

Through fictional case studies, Dr Glynis and her affiliates described how everyone’s breakup journey is entirely unique, meaning the support or expertise needed at different times will vary from individual to individual.

During the event, Dr Glynis said: “ADC has been designed to allow individuals to tap into support on a need-to-know, pay-as-you-go basis, so the individual or couple remain in control at all times. They can choose to use one or more of the services offered by ADC. There is no contractual tie-in.”

What was so clear from the launch event is that Dr Glynis and her affiliates want to make a real difference with their forward-thinking approach to divorce and breakup.

Dr Glynis spoke passionately about the sad fact that well over half of all relationships in the UK end in breakups.

Through the ADC affiliates, clients and couples can also access legal and financial advice, court representation, estate planning, pension actuarial services, loan advice, mediation, family and child therapy, marriage guidance, grief coaching, narcissism and trauma coaching and boutique housekeeping services for those whose lives are so busy they are suffering severe relationship strain.

The ADC umbrella of services is designed to support people who want

She said: “The services at ADC are designed to minimise the impact on children that can arise from parental conflict and to stem the haemorrhaging of hard-earned family finances on unnecessary litigation in court.

Closing her speech to an emotionfilled room, Dr Glynis said: “We can re-imagine the divorce and breakup process. There is a better way. And that better way is The Alternative Divorce Company!”

For more information on the work of Dr Glynis and the affiliates of the ADC, visit alternativedivorce.co.uk.

 DR GLYNIS (MIDDLE) WITH HUSBAND COLIN (LEFT) AND SON BEN (RIGHT)

Premier Logistics celebrates

20 years delivering the goods

A LEADING PLAYER IN THE LOGISTICS INDUSTRY AND LEICESTERSHIRE’S MOST RECOGNISED HAULAGE COMPANY CELEBRATES TWO DECADES IN BUSINESS WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

The family-run Premier Logistics turned 20 this May. The company meets the milestone with a turnover of £13m and lofty new goals for the future.

Company founder Lee Christopher plans to grow Premier by 7-10% per year over the next five years and become renowned for being the best employer in the East Midlands.

“We are proud to reach this significant milestone in our company’s history,” said Lee. “The past 20 years have been filled with challenges, growth, and, most importantly, success. We owe our achievements to the unwavering

support of our clients, the dedication of our team, and a commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements in the logistics industry.”

Launched in 2004, Premier has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, providing top-notch logistics solutions to clients across various industries. The company’s success can be attributed to its friendly customer service and technological advancements, which consistently result in a high level of customer satisfaction and in excess of 98% delivery success rate.

While this keeps them on track to achieve their growth goals, Premier takes care of its skilled team of warehouse operatives, drivers and office staff with a free on-site gym, welfare facilities, and regular social events.

The haulage firm has grown from small beginnings into a trusted industry leader distributing from a 200,000 square-foot central hub in Coalville, specialising in many areas of supply chain and logistics.

Starting from an 800 sq. ft unit, Premier now offers tailored distribution services, contract logistics, warehousing, and palletised distribution. The company expanded with its maintenance arm Premier Fleet Services providing vehicle servicing, MoTs, inspections and fleet wash. Whether contact logistics, specialist logistics, overnight pallet movements or end to end supply chain management – Premier provides services to ensure all customers’ demands are met and expectations exceeded.

The team celebrated together in the last weekend of May with a family fun day at Coalville Rugby Club, which Premier Logistics sponsors.

A business platform for women designed to educate, support, protect and empower through collaboration

Membership

SHINE Together is all about giving women the respect, recognition and reward but we do more than that in our membership community. We provide a place for continual growth for women whatever their age, ethnicity, culture, or wherever you are on the career and business ladder. Look at our packages, shine-together.co.uk/memberships/

Events

Regular events held throughout the year. Check them out shine-together.co.uk/events/

Pod Casts

Our new series of pod casts, providing you with valuable insights. shine-together.co.uk/news/podcasts/

The Women’s Awards

The pinnacle of the year is our prestigious awards ceremony, celebrating the success of women across the midlands. Get nominating for our 2024 awards. thewomensawards.com/nominations/

email: info@shine-together.co.uk www.shine-together.co.uk.

It must be a laugh to work here…

WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD WORKPLACE CULTURE – BUT WHAT CAN BE DONE TO IMPROVE A BAD ONE? GELOTOLOGIST BARRY TAYLOR HAS STUDIED THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER AND APPLIES HIS TEACHINGS TO THE BUSINESS WORLD THROUGH HIS COMPANY, LAUGH THERAPY WORDS BY TOM YOUNG

If you read the words ‘Laugh Therapy’, and pictured a church hall full of people wearing tie-dye, stood in a circle, stretching, and making forced laughter sounds, do read on, because that’s not what this is.

THE CENTRAL THING THAT KEPT MY EQUILIBRIUM THROUGHOUT EVERYTHING WAS HUMOUR AND LAUGHTER – IT’S A VERY EFFECTIVE COPING MECHANISM

Barry Taylor is well aware of the psychological hurdle that those new to his business have to overcome. Gelotologist is not a career one encounters on a daily basis, and so its value may be alien.

Gelotology is a field of study originally pioneered in the 1960s by Professor William F Fry at Stanford University, which researches the effects of humour and laughter on the body, from a psychological, physiological, sociological or emotional perspective. Patch Adams (see the Robin Williams film) is one of its most famous proponents.

“Laughter – in fact, even fake laughter – reduces the stress hormones in your system and simultaneously releases a cocktail of positive brain chemicals.

“A genuine, mirthful belly laugh gets your heart pumping, oxygenates your brain, lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol, reduces pain and tension, and strengthens your immune system. So, there are many health benefits, and if we incorporate laughter and play into our daily lives, it makes a noticeable difference – and that’s aside from the social and emotional benefits,” Barry told me.

As someone who grew up in difficult circumstances, Barry says a sense of humour has been vital.

“I had a lot of problems as a child that left me with lasting trauma. Growing up in a toxic environment of

 BARRY TAYLOR

neglect and abuse led to me becoming homeless by the age of 18.

“More recently, I’ve been diagnosed with type 2 bipolar disorder. But the central thing that kept my equilibrium throughout everything was humour and laughter – it’s a very effective coping mechanism.

“I was always fascinated by that. Having left school with only two GCSEs, I managed to gather vocational qualifications with a youth theatre company, and eventually attended Cambridge University as a post-grad. I did my final dissertation on humour and the therapeutic benefits of laughterit’s only now that I realise why, and how relevant that was to my journey.”

Barry went from youth worker to drama teacher, where he would often gamify his lessons through theatre exercises and roleplay. This experience eventually led him to making laughter and play the keystone of his profession. He devises and applies appropriate strategies to the gelotological research he finds, and shares this with businesses, healthcare trusts and schools to improve learning, productivity, engagement and wellbeing.

“My methodology is constantly evolving; each time I find something new that will have a positive impact, I’ll fold it into a talk or find strategies from my own background to incorporate it into my professional offering.

“Using these techniques, and allowing play and improvisation into the workplace, brings connection and creativity to your team, but it has to start from the top down. It can’t just be a thing that HR books for a half-day staff training session in order to tick a box. The leadership are integral to cultural change, so they must buy in to the value of what we do.

“It’s really about changing the entire culture so that you’re more likely to smile and engage with others, socially connect and bond, and build relationships that cross departments. I’m trying to help businesses to realise that this isn’t just about making people laugh; it’s about making the workplace somewhere that people want to be, feel that they belong, and want to stay.”

IN

ADULTHOOD, WE BECOME SELF-CONSCIOUS, AND PLAY

IS

SEEN AS PROCRASTINATING FROM YOUR WORK, BUT WE’RE NEVER MORE CREATIVE THAN WHEN WE’RE PLAYING

Barry acknowledges that there are quite often presumptions about what his sessions will involve, and is often greeted with scepticism or the line: ‘So you’re going to make us laugh? Go on then…’

“I’m not there to be funny. I’m not a stand up or improvisational comedian. When I go into businesses, I very much treat it as a consultancy. I’m there to understand the unique challenges in that workplace and facilitate situations and provide strategies that help them reconnect with childhood energy, and exact lasting, positive change.

“In adulthood, we become selfconscious, and play is seen as procrastinating from your work, but we’re never more creative than when we’re playing. We learn language through play, we socially connect when we play, and all our problem-solving skills come from play.”

Creating an enjoyable workplace culture is such an effective method of ensuring staff motivation.

“If the work feels fun, you get more done. I think business leaders are reluctant to encourage laughter and play because they believe less work will get done. But I think it’s because they’re afraid to lose control of them. Yet your staff will respect and appreciate you more for creating a positive environment and will want to give back and take pride in their work.”

With his ever-evolving methodology, Barry has recently embarked on a new venture to broaden his research. His new podcast, Leading to Happiness, launched in late May.

“The podcast allows me to continue my research, learn from other practitioners, look into the ways other cultures and philosophies create joy, happiness, and play, and how these can be applied by leaders.”

You can find out more about Laugh Therapy through Barry’s website laughtherapy.lol, and his podcast, Leading to Happiness, can be found via all the main podcast providers.

Bhimika Parmar, President of The Leicestershire Law Society 2024

Motorsport Legal goes International

AN AWARD-WINNING COMPANY IS CRACKING MOTORSPORT CASES INTERNATIONALLY, PROVIDING A VOICE FOR WORLD-LEADING SPORTSPEOPLE WITH SARAH FRANKLIN FIRMLY IN THE DRIVING SEAT. WORDS BY EMILY MILLER

BEING A RACING DRIVER MYSELF, MY CLIENTS KNOW THAT I HAVE AN INSIGHT THAT A NON-RACING DRIVER LAWYER SIMPLY WOULDN’T HAVE

Like with any sport, UK motorsport has its own regulations which all licence holders are expected to abide by, they are governed by Motorsport UK. This body sets regulations to ensure safety, fairness and the integrity of competitions. Key rules include mandatory safety equipment such as helmets and fire-resistant clothing for drivers, strict vehicle specifications to maintain a level playing field and rigorous licensing requirements for participants.

Motorsport UK also enforces circuit safety standards, including barriers and medical facilities. These rules are designed to protect participants,

officials and spectators, while promoting responsible motorsport practices.

Each individual series or championship also then has a set of regulations, usually dealing mainly with the technical aspect of the competition. But, while watching the F1 championships fresh off the tarmac, I wondered what happens when these rules are thought to be ‘broken’ and, what happens when a driver or team wants to appeal these decisions?

“That’s where I come in,” Sarah Franklin enthuses. She’s a passionate racing driver and runs Motorsport Legal, a specialised division of Sarah Franklin Solicitors. “Just recently I took on a case where the appeal was to the FIA International Court of Appeal in France, and it was a big deal – it would decide if my clients were International Champions or not!

“It involved the Spanish motorsport governing body and several other parties, lots of translators and representatives, and… me! All documents had to be translated and submitted in English and French and we very soon had an 878-page bundle in readiness for the Paris hearing!

“We won, and the verdict came as I wandered through a park alongside the Champs Elysees! My phone pinged and I discovered that my clients were now International Champions.” I can see the buzz here, with the company able to play a vital part in making champions and changes within the sport itself.

“I love working with teams and drivers all over the globe. Being a racing driver myself, my clients know that I have an insight that a non-racing driver lawyer simply wouldn’t have.”

Well, it’s a unique professional service that’s for certain; it’s plain to see why they are Professional Services Niche Business Awards nominees.

 SARAH FRANKLIN

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Fishers’ Net(work)

LAW FIRMS CAN OFTEN BE SEEN AS FACELESS ORGANISATIONS AND DAUNTING TO APPROACH; IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. NICHE BUSINESS AWARD NOMINEE FISHERS SOLICITORS MAKE THEMSELVES ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THEIR MONTHLY NETWORKING GROUP, ASHBY CONNECT WORDS BY TOM YOUNG

Ashby Connect

The last Wednesday of each month, 12pm-2pm at The Beeches Sign up at: fisherslaw.co.uk/ashbyconnect

How do you know if you can trust a lawyer?

Accreditation, yes, but it’s an important relationship and finding the right fit is very important. Most of us don’t have need of a solicitor on a daily basis, so when one is required, finding the right one is a shot in the dark.

That is, unless you’ve already befriended one at your local networking group.

Fishers Solicitors have been serving Ashby de la Zouch and the wider area for over 250 years (“we’re not 100% certain when it started, but definitely at least 250…”), and had always been located on the town’s high street. In 2019, they moved to a new

location to modernise their offices and accommodate six partners and 50 staff.

For the last two years, Fishers have been running Ashby Connect, an opento-all networking group that meets monthly in the town. Partner Ian Riley is proud of how it’s made both him and his colleagues more accessible.

“If you have a product, you can convince someone that they need it. If you have a service, they either need you or they don’t. In the case of legal services, they might not need us for five to ten years, but what we can do in the meantime is make ourselves omnipresent, chat to people, and ensure they know of us for when the time comes.

Networking isn’t just about winning business – Ashby Connect provides an opportunity for individuals to find support.

“It’s become a support network for those who run their own businesses – often solo-workers that don’t have someone on-hand for advice. Even if they’ve got staff, they might have an issue that requires insight from someone else at management level. Ashby Connect has become a sort of therapy session for those people; a forum where they can bounce ideas and advice off each other.

“I didn’t expect that – I was convinced everyone would come into the room solely focused on trying to win work, so it’s quite positive from our perspective that people are getting more out of it than just that.”

For Fishers, the benefit of running Ashby Connect is greater than shortterm business opportunities.

“We don’t need to leave the room with five pieces of new business each month – there’s a bigger picture. If Ashby is thriving, and more people want to live and work here, then Fishers are likely to thrive as well.”

“While it’s run by Fishers, Ashby Connect is very much open to everyone. Even after two years, I always speak to someone who says it’s their first time. We thought it would be a local thing, but it attracts people from Loughborough, Leicester, Birmingham, and beyond.”

New tax rules for associated companies

THE

REINTRODUCTION OF ‘ASSOCIATED COMPANIES’ RULES AFTER A NINE YEAR GAP COULD WELL RESULT IN UNSUSPECTING BUSINESSES PAYING MORE CORPORATION TAX. TAXATION EXPERTS NICK

WRIGHT

AND PETE MILLER, DIRECTORS OF JERROMS MILLER SPECIALIST TAX, LOOK AT HOW THESE RULES WORK AND WHY IT’S ESSENTIAL BUSINESS OWNERS SEEK PROFESSIONAL

ADVICE

The UK’s single corporation tax rate was replaced with two different rates based on a company’s profits in a given accounting period, as of April 1, 2024.

Consequently, if your profits are under £50k, you pay tax at a rate of 19%; if they’re over £250k the rate is 25% and; if they’re between £50k and £250k, you’ll be taxed at 26.5%.

These profit limits are much less than they were back in 2014-15 when these rules were previously in force, so a lot more companies will be caught by them this time around.

One obvious way to get around the rules might be to break your business into two or more smaller businesses, each in a different company with its own set of tax limits. To prevent this, we have the associated companies rules, which say that companies in the same group, or owned or controlled by the same person, have the £50k and £250k limits divided between them. Unfortunately, this can create unforeseen issues for corporate taxpayers with more than one company under common ownership. Simply putting a holding company over a trading company can increase the effective tax rate for the trading

company, by reducing the limits to £25k for each company.

There are special rules for ‘passive holding companies’, where dividends pass straight to shareholders, but the rules are very restrictive and generally don’t allow any commercial activity in the holding company.

For family-owned businesses, the rules also extend to companies owned by family members, including spouses, children, siblings and other relatives. However, where companies are owned by different family members, the companies are only associated if there is ‘substantial commercial interdependence’ between them, defined as meaning financial, economic or organisational interdependence.

These are pretty vague terms, which is unhelpful when trying to complete a self-assessment tax return for the companies concerned. If you own a bar in the Midlands and your sister has a legal advisory firm in Australia, it’s fairly obvious that the two trades aren’t commercially interdependent, so they are not associated. But what if you own a pub and deal with wet sales, while your sister’s company looks after the restaurant? In that case, HMRC might well argue that you have the same economic objectives, so are commercially interdependent.

There’s quite a lot to unpack here, so to avoid falling foul of the rules, you should always seek professional tax advice.

NEED ADVICE?

Jerroms Miller welcomes queries on associated companies rules. Just get in touch with nickwright@jerromsmiller.co.uk or petemiller@jerromsmiller.co.uk or call 0121 693 5000.

 PETE MILLER

NICK  WRIGHT

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Increasing demand for mediation amid Nelsons’ family team success

IT’S BEEN AN IMPRESSIVE YEAR FOR SPECIALIST FAMILY LAWYER AND MEDIATOR GAYLE ROWLEY, BECOMING PARTNER AT LEADING EAST MIDLANDS FIRM NELSONS IN JUNE 2023 AND THEN HEAD OF THE LEICESTER FAMILY TEAM –NELSONS TELLS US MORE

Family lawyer and mediator at Nelsons, Gayle Rowley, has been fully accredited by the Family Mediation Council – a recognition of commitment to this area of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).

“It’s no secret that family courts are still exceptionally busy,” Gayle tells us. “We have seen an influx of mediation enquiries recently, and it is evident that this option has certainly become more popular and avoids costly and stressful court proceedings.

“With mediation for divorcing couples on the rise and changes to the Family Procedure Rules (FPR) to further enforce out-of-court resolution, we expect this demand to continue.

“While court is still inevitable for certain situations, the whole family team at Nelsons is supportive and encouraging of mediation and other forms of ADR, such as collaborative law, private financial dispute resolution, early neutral evaluation and arbitration.

Award recognition

Further success is celebrated for senior associate and solicitor Naomi Bond. Gayle said: “We were thrilled that Naomi won Junior Solicitor of the Year at this year’s Leicestershire Law Society Awards. Naomi was recently promoted to senior associate and this award further recognises her brilliant work. She has truly flourished in the two years since joining us and we’re all very proud.”

Team spirit

Sharing what makes the Leicester family team so strong, Gayle said: “Our team has more than 100 years combined legal experience dealing with countless cases.

“Associate Angela Maxfield and recently promoted senior associate Louise Scott have vast depth and breadth of experience in respect of complex divorce, finance and children cases. Private children law specialist Rina Mistry, who was also promoted to senior associate last year, has a burgeoning private children law practice and has represented clients in many complex cases including cases with international aspects, and those involving child relocation and parental alienation.

“We also have the invaluable support of two dedicated and experienced paralegals Claire Farmer and Gurvir Kaur. Together everyone works extremely well; we collaborate and discuss complexities to ensure our clients are given the best support possible. It’s a privilege to work with such a team and I am keen to support them in the areas they wish to develop.

“Nelsons strives to empower clients by giving them a voice, pursuing fair outcomes and steering them through the complex legal issues they face. In family law, this means showing real understanding of the emotional side to our cases and recognising when clients require additional support, signposting them towards services that can help. Nelsons is a full-service law firm and family clients can access other legal and financial advice across the firm.”

Need advice?

Should you need advice on mediation or family law matters, contact Gayle on 0116 222 6666 or email gayle.rowley@nelsonslaw.co.uk.

 GAYLE ROWLEY (MIDDLE) WITH PART OF THE NELSONS TEAM

Trusted Tech Support from Giga Ops

SEAMLESS TRANSITION: MASTERING IT SUPPORT IN ROTHLEY LAW’S ACQUISITION

Shoosmiths private client business, which included several divisions, was acquired by Rothley Law last summer. Anil Motivaras of Giga Ops tells us how he managed the IT merger for this transaction.

The 41-strong team from Shoosmiths and their clients were transferred to Rothley Law last July.

The acquisition was supported by IT support service Giga Ops, led by managing director Anil Motivaras.

He said: “We can play a crucial role in ensuring that legal organisations have a secure, efficient, and compliant IT configuration. By leveraging our expertise and support, legal professionals can focus on their core tasks while leaving IT concerns to the professionals, ultimately improving the overall effectiveness and security of the legal practice.”

Based in Hamilton, Leicester, Giga Ops provides advice on IT, security, cloud services, telecoms and networks.

Anil shares the details of the role they played in the acquisition and their ongoing support.

Our client, multi-service legal company Rothley Law, acquired the private client, disputed wills and trusts, and court of protection teams from the top rated national law firm Shoosmiths. The transfer included 41 staff who were set up in four new Rothley Law offices across the UK, and thousands of client files. Rothley wanted a reliable provider who could guarantee a smooth process and be there for emergency situations. Giga Ops played a key part across all elements of the process, to ensure a smooth transition and a secure, compliant IT infrastructure across the group. Giga Ops continue to act as Rothley Law’s in-house IT team as they did before for many years.

OUR KEY OBJECTIVES

● Assess and consult with company leaders

● Working with third party specialists on the transfer of client data from an in house CRM to a specialist legal CRM.

● Setting up laptops, the communication infrastructure (VOIP and mobile, office and data security.)

● Rolling out IT hardware, across four offices on launch day

● Training teams and trouble shooting

● Acting as the in-house IT team, leading IT discussions and meetings

● Ensure IT security and compliance

● Recommend hardware, software, and cybersecurity enhancements

● Manage and support infrastructure

● Provide telecoms solutions and support

THE IMPACT

We provided continuous support from start to finish during Rothley’s acquisition journey acting as their team of Internal IT experts.

Giga Ops led the IT discussions with third parties to design and ensure a smooth transition and onboarding process. We successfully moved users and data, from

one legal firm to another, got users setup and working in the new organisation across four offices on day one, and we continue to provide ongoing support.

The value of legal companies enlisting the help of Giga Ops IT services either as an outsourced IT function, or for acquisitions or projects lies in the ability to leverage expertise, ensure data security, and compliance, achieve cost savings, and maintain a reliable and efficient IT infrastructure. This allows legal professionals to focus on their legal work while leaving IT concerns to the experts, safe in the knowledge, that we provide ongoing endto-end, line of business, mobile device management, telephony, hardware, and software/applications support.

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“Our group has been using Giga Ops for over seven years and only had positive experiences. We needed someone we trusted for such an important acquisition. Giga Ops are experienced in understanding the additional data security responsibilities that are required for regulated firms and can operate professionally at scale.”

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Creative crossover

LEICESTER HAS A THRIVING CREATIVE COMMUNITY. SO MUCH TALENT IS AVAILABLE, BUT THE FREELANCE MARKET IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO ACCESS… UNTIL NOW. NICHE BUSINESS AWARD NOMINEE STACEY WRAGG HAS FOUNDED CREATIVE COLLABORATORS –A NEW PLATFORM TO ELEVATE LOCAL CREATIVES WORDS BY TOM YOUNG

One of the biggest challenges for any freelancer is becoming established. Gaining reputation must run parallel with gaining experience, and it can be borderline impossible to do one without the other.

Enter Stacey Wragg. Her new platform, Creative Collaborators, will help employers find freelancers, and help freelancers find opportunities.

“It came from a passion of mine,” says Stacey. “When I was setting up my other company, Embark CSR with my business partner Chris Shaw, before we started making money, I was doing various other things on the side, using the skills I’ve picked up over the years and helping other businesses.

“I was using a lot of creative freelancers, such as videographers, sound engineers and designers,

organically immersing myself in the community and seeing the gaps. There’s just no collaboration between different creative disciplines and a lack of spaces for them to meet, network, and help each other commercially. There’s so many creatives doing amazing stuff – but many are hidden away in their back bedrooms, doing great work with such talent and creativity… but it’s not being utilised by business.”

Stacey felt she could change that. Creative Collaborators is not just a job site for creative work, but a directory of creative people and an advice guide for those looking to monetise their talent. Creative people tend to be very good at their skill, but don’t necessarily know how to run a business on top of that.

“Often people don’t know how to commercialise their work, nor how to sit in front of a business owner and say: ‘This is what I can offer, this is my talent, and this is how we can work together to add value to your business’. That’s where I can bridge the gap.

“Our website is live, and we’ll soon be launching software that enables businesses and creatives to work seamlessly through our platform. We have a new premises in the city centre that will offer co-working spaces, studio space and meeting rooms. We want to add all of Leicester’s freelance creatives to the platform, no matter whether they’re filmmakers, illustrators, dancers, performers, artists, etc. It’ll be a place where they can swap skills instead of money, learn from the specialised courses of other collaborators, connect to the community and gain access to paid creative opportunities.”

The platform has a Leicester focus, separating it from global equivalents like Fiverr or Upwork, and Stacey hopes to build an active community of creatives that will benefit the city.

“Another part of the platform is ’Create 4 A Cause’, where charities and other causes can upload their projects, and if a creative person has some downtime and wants to help, they can, while also creating business connections.”

This July sees the official launch of the platform and new premises. Explore via the website at creativecollaborators.co.uk.

 STACEY WRAGG

The pension problem: Short-term thinking for long-term savings

DECADES OF GOVERNMENTS TINKERING WITH THE PENSION LAWS HAVE

RESULTED

A SERIES OF BODGE-JOBS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN A SYSTEM THAT NO LONGER SERVES THE WORLD WE LIVE IN. A PENSIONS EXPERT SPOKE TO NICHE ABOUT THE NEED TO REFRAME EXPECTATIONS WORDS BY TOM YOUNG

Pension laws have become political chess pieces. A system that ought to operate in a steady and reliable way has been regularly tinkered with by different governments seeking to exploit the system to win votes.

The consequence? Confusion. A system that needs to be straightforward has become increasingly complicated to understand.

“When it comes to state pensions, there’s no pot of money saved up,” says Mark Smith, director of Intrusted Pensions. “The national insurance contribution you make this month will pay for someone else’s pension payment in the same month. You’re not saving your own money for the future –you’re paying for the generation above you, and the one below will eventually pay for you… but there’s no failsafe. So, you should also be paying into your personal pension plan too.”

That can get complicated because the laws around personal pensions are

changed with alarming regularity.

In 2006, a cap was introduced on the maximum amount individuals could save in a personal pension plan without being taxed. This created a problem in the NHS, where the most qualified, senior doctors realised they’d be financially better off to take early retirement, creating a staff shortage. The Conservative government lifted the cap to encourage qualified specialists to return to work. Yet with a general election looming, the Labour party has announced they’d reintroduce the cap.

The irony? They’re both trying to fix a system that no longer serves the world of business as it operates today.

“The system was built on the assumption that people would have one job for 40+ years, retire at 65, and maybe live until 70. But people don’t stay in one job, or even one industry, for their entire careers anymore. They end up with multiple personal pensions, scattered accounts, and no real autonomy over their savings.

“The idea of a ‘pensions dashboard’ to help manage this has been a governmental suggestion for years, but it keeps getting pushed back.”

The simplest solution? Everyone has one personal pension associated to their national insurance number that follows them from job-to-job.

“The trouble is, larger employers would be hesitant to do that, as their payroll departments would potentially have to make tens of thousands of payments into different pension accounts every month. But if the system was redesigned, that could be made simpler.

“We need to prepare young people for the reality of work sooner. Children are still being educated on the assumption they’ll have one job for 40 years. We need to reframe their expectations and prepare them for the modern reality; that way, they can take an active interest in where their pension contributions go.”

SMEs interested in setting up a small self-administered scheme (SSAS) for their company pension plan can learn more at intrustedpensions.com.

 MARK SMITH

Seeing eyewear differently

GLASSES MIGHT BE A NECESSITY, BUT DO YOU ENJOY THEM AS PART OF YOUR STYLE? NICHE JOURNALIST EMILY MILLER VISITED AN INDEPENDENT OPTICIAN TO SEE A REFRESHINGLY STYLISH TAKE ON EYEWEAR

Iadmit immediately as I walk into the lovely Sask Optics in sunny Queens Road that I’m new to independent opticians. It’s not for any particular reason outside of simply going to the same chain store since my first pair of specs over 25 years ago.

Chain stores have never caused me a problem, they’ve just not really been that enjoyable and I’ve only ever chosen frames based on my own inexpert opinion at the end of a rushed appointment.

I can tell it’s different at Sask Optics. Greeted with the offer of a comfy window seat and hot drink with biscuits, I was seated in a chic room with selected high style glasses on show. It’s nothing like I’ve known before.

My appointment with Shockat Adam Patel is different too. The surroundings are professional but not clinical, with artwork of cool spec wearers adorning the walls. Shockat founded the independent, award-winning opticians

after finding high street opticians unrewarding. He wanted to offer more for the glasses wearer. And so he did.

I feel like no eye detail is left unturned, the appointment is relaxed yet attentive, and on the knowledge that I do indeed need new glasses –hurrah! – Harpreet Mann begins my style consultation. She asks what colours I like to wear, how I’d like my glasses to work for me and my wardrobe, and, crucially, what I’ve picked before.

I show her, rather ashamedly as I pull them from my handbag scratched, no case. I picked them when I was on my own and don’t think they suit my face shape. She agrees, but in a way that feels more friendly and honest than salesy.

A tray displaying six styles of eyewear is then presented to me that immediately have me intrigued. There are some seriously sophisticated brands such as Barton Perreira. A gorgeous pair from French designers Anne & Valentin are my favourite. The thick dark tortoiseshell frame reminds me of the 1940’s eyewear I love so much. “Any standouts?” Harpreet asks. I tell her that if I was feeling braver, I’d go for these. She smiles: “Those are the ones I’d recommend for you, here’s why.” She points out the way the frame is curved at the top to open up my face, tells me the story of the brand and finally explains: “They bring out your personality; bravery has nothing to do with it – they are you!”

Sold. I can split payments interest free, enjoy continued after care with complimentary cleaning sprays, glasses adjustments and, of course, annual appointments with Shockat.

I can see why they’re nominated for Best Customer Service at the Niche Business Awards. I’ve never known eye appointments to be this good; their service was amazing, and you can see that they work so well as a team. Glasses on order, she hands me a case for my old pair in the meantime. See more styles at saskoptics.com.

in Leicestershire’s Top 200 30

DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY

REVIEWS THE TOP 30 COMPANIES IN THEIR LEICESTERSHIRE TOP 200 COMPANIES 2024 LISTING

WORDS BY ADAM BROWN, EDITOR OF LEICESTERSHIRE TOP 200 COMPANIES

biggest businesses

The Leicestershire Top 200 Companies listing is part of a larger project – East Midlands Top 500 Companies. Here, we’ve taken a more detailed look into the companies that made the top 30. As you’ll see, it’s back to business, only better.

DATA AND ASSEMBLY

De Montfort University (DMU) compiles the list of the Leicestershire Top 200 and manages the process of incorporating the Derbyshire Top 200 and Nottingham Top 200 into the East Midlands Top 500. This process is carried out in partnership with the University of Derby and Nottingham Trent University.

The Leicestershire Top 200 index lists private and public limited companies with their registered offices located in Leicestershire. It does not include large employers who have their registered offices elsewhere; nor does it include public organisations, mutually owned, co-operatives and Educational and Health Trusts which derive most of their income from Government.

The 2024 index uses historical data from Companies House accounts filed for the period between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. It ranks companies by their annual turnover and includes number of employees and the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC).

As the index is based on company accounts, it inevitably lags current company performance by around two years, since companies have up to nine months after their year-end to file their accounts. The gap between the

company year-ends and publication of the index means the information is historic rather than current, but is not ‘out of date’.

THE TOP 30

Companies from the automotive, retail, housebuilding, construction, aggregates, supply-chain, manufacturing, and leisure sectors feature in the top 30. Their turnover is £31.1 bn, up from £25.1 bn, this is growth of 24%. Part of this increase is due to inflation, which leads to the natural rise in sales prices and turnover; some of this is due to increased units and quantity sold, which shows the businesses strengthening their national and international positions within their sectors and markets.

Given the increases in turnover and production, employment is also up, from 97,430 to 104,368, up 7%. Economic activity is on the increase. Retail is a key form of employment, with Next PLC being the largest employer listed with 26,836 employees, and Dunelm Group PLC employing 11,432. These figures are national staff levels, not just for Leicestershire.

THE TOP 10

All companies in the Top 10 grew at rates between 9% and 69%, which is a return to or surpassing pre-Covid levels. Notable growth in turnover came from Breedon Trading Limited and Breedon Cement Limited with 69%, Caterpillar (UK) Limited with 32% and Next PLC with 31%. Construction and retail are often considered to be indicators of business and public confidence, with significant growth in businesses based in both.

THE TOP 30 BUSINESSES 2024

Winners announced for Real Entrepreneurs’ Awards 2024

THE EAST MIDLANDS ENTERPRISE HELD ITS THIRD ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY IN APRIL

The Real Entrepreneurs’ Awards celebrate entrepreneurship across Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Ten stalwart entrepreneurs and industry thoughtleaders accepted awards on stage on April 25, 2024 at Nottingham Business School, the venue of academic excellence at which BBC Radio Leicester presenter Jo Hayward compèred the event.

Stefan Fura, Co-founder and Managing Director of headline sponsor Furnley House, said: “I’m fiercely committed to the notions of community and sustainability and imbued with the belief that people, when properly looked after, can achieve amazing things, delivering positive and life-enhancing outcomes for all. This way of doing business is embedded at Furnley House and leads us to collaborations – and that, we believe, helps improve the lives of others, shape our ecosystem, and deliver positive social, economic,

and environmental change, and therefore to our sponsorship of The Real Entrepreneurs’ Awards, which promotes the work of inspirational people and positively impacts the East Midlands economy.”

The event also saw the return of the Pitching Platform, sponsored by Rik Pancholi, partner and corporate solicitor at Nelsons. For the second year, three start-ups pitched to the room for a chance to win £10k worth of corporate legal and marketing advice and investment from Rik and marketing agency Cross Productions, and the guidance of a non-executive board.

The live audience vote named Katie Michaels of Moti Me as 2024’s winner. Moti Me is a product that motivates children with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, to practice physiotherapy exercises.

Rik said: “All three businesses will no doubt go really far and I’m looking forward to working with the wider advisory board in supporting Katie Michaels and Moti Me as they continue on their incredible journey.”

THIS YEAR’S WINNERS

Start-up Entrepreneur of the Year

Winners of the Leicestershire Law Society Awards 2024

THE COUNTY’S DIVERSE AND VIBRANT LEGAL SCENE CELEBRATED LOCAL INDUSTRY TALENT AT THE LEICESTERSHIRE LAW SOCIETY AWARDS 2024 AT ATHENA ON FRIDAY, MAY 17

Every year, Leicestershire Law Society celebrates the active legal community, presenting eleven awards to commend talent, dedication, and innovation in the field. The awards were organised and hosted by society President, Bhumika Parmar – director of BP Legal – a key duty in her year-long term.

“The night was a resounding success,” said Bhumika. “It was an absolute joy to celebrate with the winners and I am overwhelmed by the talent and dedication displayed by everyone. It was a fantastic evening of networking and connecting with like-minded individuals who share your passion for law.”

THE WINNERS WERE:

The President’s Award

Awarded by President Bhumika Parmar

Christl Hughes MBE

The Long Service Award

Awarded by LLS Exec Board

Steve Morris

Small Law Firm of the Year

Kazzoo’s Pink Tie Charity Ball

IN MAY, KAZZOO’S ANNUAL CHARITY BALL TOOK PLACE AT WINSTANLEY HOUSE, AND ALSO CELEBRATED THE COMPANY’S TWENTY-FIRST YEAR IN BUSINESS

Chris Cain, owner of IT solutions company, Kazzoo, hosted the event with the unique ‘pink tie’ dress code. Entertainment was provided by Leicestershire’s own Sam Bailey, who got everyone on the dance floor and made sure it was an unforgettable evening for all.

This year’s event raised funds for three local charities: Alex’s Wish – Cure Duchenne; Hope Against Cancer; and Leicester Hospitals Charity.

Posting on LinkedIn after the event, Chris said: “After a weekend

of rest, I’m still buzzing from the excitement, and I’m even more proud to finally reveal that we have raised just over £10k! These funds will make such a significant impact towards the incredible work of these organisations.

“The ball was not only a night of fundraising, but also a celebration of Kazzoo’s 21st anniversary. This milestone is a testament to the hard work and passion that continues to drive the company forward every day. It was also the perfect time to reflect on over two decades of dedication, innovation, and community engagement.”

KAZZOO

Honouring hospitality heroes

INTRODUCING CASSIE DAVISON’S KITH & KIN LEICESTERSHIRE HOSPITALITY AWARDS

AWARDS CATEGORIES

Nominations for the Kith & Kin Leicestershire Hospitality Awards are now open. Nominate at cassiedavison.co.uk/leicestershirehospitality-awards.

The categories are:

Best Restaurant

Best Pub/Bar

Best Coffee Shop/Tea Room

Best Overnight Stay

Best Corporate Hospitality

Best Newcomer

Best General Manager

Best Team

Best Employer

Rising Star

General Manager of the Year

Best Weekend Brunch

Best Street Food

Best Night Out

Hospitality Champions

In the heart of Leicestershire’s vibrant hospitality scene, Cassie Davison, a seasoned Hospitality Ambassador and Consultant, has launched the Kith & Kin Leicestershire Hospitality Awards. This new initiative is designed to unite, celebrate, and elevate the local hospitality community, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support.

With over 30 years in the hospitality industry, Cassie has witnessed firsthand the unique challenges faced by hospitality businesses. From running prominent venues like Queen Victoria Arts Club as well as the Exchange, which was pivotal in the regeneration of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, to her extensive consulting work, Cassie’s career has been driven by a passion for fostering excellence in the sector.

“The Kith & Kin Awards are everything I wish I’d had as an owneroperator,” Cassie explains. “It’s about creating opportunities for networking, mentoring, and ultimately celebrating the incredible work happening in Leicestershire’s hospitality industry.”

One of the most compelling aspects of the Kith & Kin initiative is its commitment to regional collaboration. Cassie aims to change the narrative from competition to cooperation, encouraging businesses to support each other and share best practices.

“Leicestershire has so much to offer and its hospitality industry has always been brilliant at adapting,” Cassie notes. “By working together, we can achieve more and create a thriving hospitality community that benefits everyone.”

THE KITH & KIN INITIATIVE

The Kith & Kin concept began as an online forum for UK-wide hospitality networking, but has now evolved into a comprehensive local initiative. It encompasses three key elements:

1. THE KITH & KIN FORUM

Aimed at enhancing face-to-face interactions among local businesses, the forum provides a platform for networking and support. This shift from an online presence to a local focus emphasises the importance of personal connections in fostering strong, supportive relationships within the community.

2. THE INNER CIRCLE

Bringing together all of Cassie’s consultancy work, the Inner Circle offers mentoring and coaching to hospitality professionals. This initiative is designed to pool expertise and provide tailored support to help businesses thrive in a competitive market.

3. THE LEICESTERSHIRE HOSPITALITY AWARDS

The pinnacle of the Kith & Kin initiative, the Leicestershire Hospitality Awards is an entirely new platform for celebrating excellence within the local industry. Recognising the difficulties hospitality businesses often face in accessing traditional awards, Cassie has created a local, customer-centric awards program.

“We’re focusing on the customer’s perspective,” says Cassie. “It’s about delivering exceptional experiences. We want to showcase the best in hospitality by celebrating how businesses engage with and delight their customers.”

 CASSIE DAVISON

ALTERNATIVE BUSINESS AWARDS

Alternative Business Award winners

EIGHTEEN AWARDS WERE UP FOR GRABS AT THE ALTERNATIVE BUSINESS AWARDS CEREMONY HELD AT THE Y, ON JUNE 19, AND HOSTED BY COMEDIAN PATRICK MONAHAN

The event raises funds to support Big Difference, the charity behind Leicester Comedy Festival. The awards ceremony aims to recognise individuals and groups in a number of comical, warm-hearted, celebratory, and ‘alternative’ business award categories.

THE WINNERS ARE

ALTERNATIVE BUSINESSPERSON

‘Out and proud’ pro footballer to co-host Leicester Pride

Zander Murray – one of only five openly LGBTQ+ professional footballers in the world – has been signed to co-host Leicester Pride WORDS BY KERRY SMITH

Leicester Pride celebrated its fifteenth anniversary last year and it returns to Abbey Park once again, bringing the city together to celebrate Leicester’s diverse LGBTQ+ community. They’ve signed ‘out and proud’ pro footballer Zander Murray to co-host this year’s celebrations.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic to co-host Leicester Pride,” he said. “I’ve seen the footage of last year and it looks amazing. I’ve got family and friends in Leicester, but more importantly, I think there has to be more crossover with football and LGBTQ+. Celebrations like this can only help this.”

In 2022, Zander gained worldwide fame overnight when he became only the third actively playing footballer in the world to come out. He now plays successfully for Bonnyrigg Rose – a Scottish Professional Football League club – using his profile off the pitch to benefit LTBTQ+ charity, Stonewall, where he is an Ambassador. He regularly works with Time for Inclusive Education and shares his passion through workshops in schools, football academies and even the Hong Kong Gay Games.

In 2023, he was named by Attitude

Magazine as one of the ‘LGBTQ trailblazers changing the world’ and the football shirt he was wearing when he scored his 100th goal was placed in the Scottish Football Museum – testament to his record-breaking goal scoring achievements in one season.

Since coming out, Zander has shared his story on many TV shows

I came out at the first Pride event I went to.

“I’d strongly encourage anyone struggling with their sexuality getting yourself down to Leicester Pride, as I have no doubt you’ll have the best time ever!”

Simon Harrison, Event Manager of Leicester Pride, said: “We are thrilled

I think there has to be more crossover with football and LGBTQ+. Celebrations like this can only help this

including Lorraine (ITV), Good Morning Britain and Sky Sports, as well as many BBC shows including the BBC documentary Out On The Pitch, where he explored what is being done to tackle homophobia in football and how the sport can be made more inclusive.

“I’m well aware of Foxes Pride –LCFC’s LGBTQ+ group for members and allies – and have had many interactions with them,” he said. “I can only hope that my involvement with Leicester Pride encourages closeted people in general to be their authentic selves, as

to be welcoming Zander Murray to our hosting team – such a high profile and inspirational out pro footballer. We hope that Zander’s involvement in Leicester Pride 2024 will not only inspire our community, but show the world that sport is changing and can be a welcoming and inclusive space for all sexualities. He’s a true icon changing the face of football.”

Leicester Pride takes place on Saturday, August 31, with the parade starting at 12pm outside Curve before heading through the city to Abbey Park.

The new aesthetics era revolutionising patient care

A major renovation is taking place at the Amedics Clinic based in Stoneygate – and with it, the hopeful transformation of the facial aesthetic industry. Kerry Smith caught up with the illustrious 31-year-old doctor who’s developed the clinic and is sculpting a new way for patients

Medical aesthetics has witnessed significant growth and transformation in recent years. ‘Before and after’ photos swamp social media channels at a daily rate, with captions picking apart which treatments might have been carried out – not just of celebrity faces, but now of people in your own friends list. Aesthetic treatments have become so accessible that you can often get them done during your lunch break.

Amidst this evolution, there are those who pioneer advancements that ensure safety, excellence, and patient satisfaction. One of those visionaries is Dr Ameera Laher, a trailblazer in medical aesthetics whose latest challenge is as inspiring as it is educational.

During our interview, it’s clear that excitement is building as the Amedics Clinic – which turns five this year –prepares for its September new-look launch party after major refurbishment works are complete. It promises luxury, innovation, and regulated treatments for Leicester. Nestled in an elegant Stoneygate location, the clinic is set to become a beacon of excellence in medical aesthetics, offering state-ofthe-art treatments in a sophisticated and welcoming environment.

PAVING THE WAY FOR SAFE AND REGULATED PRACTICES

The UK government’s recent amendment to the Health and Care Act 2022 aims to bring a licensing scheme into force for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. This initiative emphasises the importance of safety and high standards in injectable treatments, ensuring that

consumers can make informed choices. Dr Ameera stands at the forefront of this movement, advocating for rigorous compliance and regulation.

“As a medical doctor performing aesthetic procedures, I’ve chosen to become regulated to set a higher standard of safety and trust,” she says. “Even though it’s not mandatory, I believe in ensuring the utmost care for my patients.”

Paramount to patient safety and wellbeing is a clinic that is qualified by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England, and one that is led

whilst still working full time with the NHS and I found I really enjoyed it and that it was a profession that I could bring my expertise to and add value to. I love making my patients feel happier and more confident within themselves.

“My transition from the NHS to aesthetics was driven by a passion for the field and a desire to enhance patient confidence and satisfaction.”

BUILDING A DREAM FROM THE GROUND UP

Dr Ameera’s story begins with humble roots, practising from a small rented space in the city centre. But recognising

My transition from the NHS to aesthetics was driven by a passion for the field and a desire to enhance patient confidence and satisfaction

by a specialist doctor performing facial aesthetic treatments. Reassuringly, patients are now more educated and conduct their own research into providers. “Unfortunately though,” Dr Ameera says, “the reality is that anyone could quickly enrol in a course and start injecting, often without any understanding of skin anatomy, arterial pathways, or vascular systems. This lack of foundational knowledge can lead to serious complications.

“As a doctor trained in medical school, holding degrees as a Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Surgery, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the field of medical aesthetics.

“I was an NHS doctor before I left to do medical aesthetics. I’d already started aesthetics on a part time basis

the limitations of her initial setup, she decided to invest in a new property, embarking on an ambitious project to create a state-of-the-art clinic.

“We then built an extension from scratch, redoing everything from the foundations to the plumbing,” she recalls. “The new clinic spans across 1300 to 1400 square feet, a significant upgrade from where we started.”

This leap wasn’t without challenges. The project coincided with a significant personal milestone – becoming a mother. “I had my baby halfway through the project, which naturally delayed things,” she shares. “But we’re now set to open in a few months, only slightly behind schedule.” Understandably, I say.

On top of her busy schedule, she also dedicates one day a week to

I persistently research new products and review clinical trials so that I’m well-informed before introducing any innovations into my own clinic

working at Ouronyx, a super-luxury clinic located in the heart of Mayfair, London. “Every Monday, I immerse myself in the high-end environment of Ouronyx, allowing Amedics Clinic to remain closed on that day.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLIANCE AND EDUCATION

Dr Ameera’s mother, an expert in compliance and regulation, has been a pivotal figure in her journey. Her background in ensuring regulatory standards across various sectors, from nurseries to dental clinics, provides invaluable support. Together, they emphasise the importance of compliance in the medical aesthetics field, an area often seen as a regulatory grey zone.

“Many practitioners lack the necessary anatomical knowledge, leading to potential complications,” Dr Ameera explains. “Our goal is to educate and ensure that everyone understands the importance of proper training.”

Only feeling comfortable at the forefront of advancements in facial aesthetics, Dr Ameera is committed to continual research, attending many conferences, and upholding her

expertise by training new doctors. She tells us how she found herself headhunted by Ouronyx: “I went to a conference where I demonstrated my expertise in injection techniques. Among the attendees were several senior executives from leading injectable companies, who recognised and praised my skills.

“I persistently research new products and review clinical trials so that I’m well-informed before introducing any innovations into my own clinic. I regularly attend training events to further my knowledge and skills, and I also take pride in training other doctors, contributing to the overall advancement of our field.”

A MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO BEAUTY AND WELLNESS

At the heart of Dr Ameera’s practice is a comprehensive approach to beauty and wellness. While the majority of her business revolves around injectables like Botox and fillers, she also offers a wide range of treatments addressing anti-aging, dermatology, and wellness.

“Our specialty is anti-aging medicine, but we offer treatments for hair loss, skin conditions like acne

and hyperpigmentation, and even IV vitamin therapy for overall health and wellbeing,” she says.

Luxury treatments at Amedics Clinic range from eight-point nonsurgical facelifts, hair loss procedures, skin rejuvenating ultra clear laser, and lip fillers through to micro-needling and chemical peels. The team also performs elective treatments to dissolve fillers, correcting work that has occurred with the rise of ‘botch jobs’.

LOOKING AHEAD

As she continues to expand the clinic, Dr Ameera and her team’s focus remains on providing exceptional patient care and fostering a welcoming environment.

“The journey from entry to exit should be perfect for every patient,” she asserts. “It’s about giving them the time, care, and attention they deserve, ensuring they leave feeling satisfied and valued.”

Dr Ameera’s story is an inspiration for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in their field. Her dedication to safety, compliance, and patient care sets a benchmark in the medical aesthetics industry, promising a future where beauty and wellness go hand in hand with trust and excellence.

To celebrate the grand opening of the extended Amedics Clinic and her aim of rebooting the aesthetic industry’s standards around regulations, Dr Ameera welcomes guests to a launch party in early September, giving a glimpse into top-tier aesthetic care. Details on the launch will follow on her Instagram page at @amedics.clinic.

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Lace up your hiking boots or grab your bike and explore that natural beauty of the shire

Top spots for walking and cycling

Picturesque landscapes and rich heritage make Leicestershire a paradise for walking and cycling enthusiasts. Whether you’re seeking a leisurely stroll or a challenging bike ride, the county offers a variety of routes that cater to all preferences and fitness levels.

Here are some of the top spots you shouldn’t miss this summer.

1. Bradgate Park: Over 800 acres of wild terrain, ancient woodlands, and rocky outcrops featuring deer-filled fields and Bradgate house ruins.

2. Rutland Water: 23-miles of track around the reservoir providing stunning views of the countryside.

3. Beacon Hill Country Park: Offers rugged trails that lead to the secondhighest point in Leicestershire.

4. Aylestone Meadows: Features lush meadows, tranquil waterways, and diverse wildlife, perfect for leisurely strolls and invigorating bike rides.

5. Leicester’s Riverside Path: Follows the River Soar and Grand Union Canal, connecting the heart of Leicester to the surrounding countryside.

6. Bosworth Country Park: Provides a tranquil environment perfect for a peaceful walk with historical trails.

7. Watermead Country Park: Numerous lakes and wetlands offer beautiful walking and cycling routes.

8. Blaby Heritage Trails: Mixes urban and rural scenery, passing by historical landmarks, charming villages, and green spaces.

9. Quorn History Trails: Combines exercise and local history, with winding picturesque streets, historical buildings, and scenic countryside.

It’s nice to get away from the hustle and bustle, and not every rest period requires a flight to tropical climates. Niche travelled 20 minutes out of Leicester, for a cosy night away at Mallory Meadows

WORDS BY TOM YOUNG

A night away at Mallory Meadows

It’s always lovely to find the little businesses dotted around the county that offer something different. On the edge of Kirkby Mallory, nestled between farmland, church grounds, and a racetrack sits Mallory Meadows – a collection of cosy cabins, perfect for couples’ getaways.

With two roundhouses and four cabins to choose from, each adorned with its own hot tub, it makes for a very convenient out-of-town break.

I stayed in Robin’s Retreat, one of the two roundhouses. The main area serves as a bedroom, kitchen and dining area, and the use of space is very clever; everything has its place, but you might have to root around for what you’re looking for (the hairdryer, for example, is in a basket under the bed, along with the iron and a game of Connect4 – I only discovered this by accident while tying my shoelaces).

A welcome gift bag including crisps, chocolates, and an elderflower beverage was a lovely, homely touch.

To the back of the roundhouse is the en suite, with a pleasingly

spacious shower, and a pair of fluffy dressing gowns hanging on the wall – these are particularly useful for the walk out to the decking and the beckoning, bubbling hot tub. A very pleasant way to unwind at the end of a long week.

One night’s sleep in a very comfortable king-size bed later, I met up with the owner, Emily-Jane Tams to discuss the property. The cabins are built on the land around the family home.

“We bought the house in 2016, with the intention of setting up the business. We’d lived in Yorkshire for a while, but I actually grew up on the farm over the road.

“For us, it’s a lovely lifestyle business. It’s my full-time job; [husband] Chris works in computing, so he dips in and out, depending on how busy he is. You’re not far from home, so I can be getting tea ready while checking people in – it’s very peaceful.”

To book your stay at Mallory Meadows, visit mallorymeadows.co.uk or scan the QR code.

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Hospitality and Leicester enthusiast Sam Hagger has embarked on an incredible cycling journey over three years, covering a total of 1250km – across Jordan in 2022 (400km), last year’s 2023 Sri Lankan ride (450km) and this year’s 2024 Kenyan ride (400km).

The Beautiful Pubs Collective and Beautiful Ventures founder has been cycling for Pedalling for Pubs. He’s highlighted and raised significant funds for Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) and Only A Pavement Away (OAPA), underscoring the critical work these charities perform in assisting industry colleagues, homelessness and prison leavers across the UK.

“Pedalling for Pubs is more than a cycling challenge; it’s a call to action,” Sam tells me. “The hospitality industry, especially the pub sector, has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years. By supporting Licensed Trade Charity and Only A Pavement Away, we are not just helping individuals in need; we are supporting the heart of our community. These pubs are where memories are made, where friendships are forged, and where life’s milestones are celebrated.”

So, there’s the cause, let’s find out about the latest challenge: “The Kenyan ride was a perfect storm for gritty bits and challenges – heat, steep

Sam’s epic journey pedalling for pubs

The founder of Leicester’s Beautiful Pubs Collective and Beautiful Ventures has embarked on another gruelling journey to support the hospitality industry. EMILY MILLER caught up with him to get the inside story – and find out whether he is still in one piece!

climbs, and high altitude, which made it so hard to breathe in parts and sadly, due to recent severe weather causing huge infrastructure damage, there were hardly any complete roads in and around the Maasai Mara.

“On day two, after cycling four hours uphill, I was looking forward to the afternoon descent – only to discover I was off track. About 30 minutes in, I took a fall and ended up with two broken ribs and a sprained wrist. After being heavily medicated, I managed to continue the remaining three days, but I was sleep deprived and very tetchy, which isn’t the normal me at all!”

However, there were extreme highs to the extreme lows, he reassures: “The highlight was cycling through the Maasai Mara. I cannot tell you how incredible it was to have lions, giraffes, elephants and zebras surrounding you whilst you cycle, as well as getting to eat with the locals and understanding more about

their culture and challenges.”

Highs and lows in balance, I ask him if he has now cycled his last. Smiling broadly he says: “When I completed the challenge in Kenya, I was so tired and in so much pain I gave all my riding gear away to the locals vowing never, ever, again.

“But our team recently proposed a fourth ride to Taiwan, under the new banner of ‘Hospitality Rides’, which is more inclusive of the diversity of the participating riders and people the ride aims to support. And, to be honest, the opportunity to push my personal fundraising through the £30k mark feels like an incredible opportunity that’s too good to miss.’’

That sounds like someone who is more than tempted to me.

Sam’s cycling fundraising has now totalled over £26k and counting. Follow where he’s off to next on Instagram @samhagger.

Step by step guide to buying your first home

Buying your first home is exciting, but it can soon get stressful. EMILY MILLER takes you through the basics of buying a home

Planning BBQs in the garden and visualising the living room décor… If you, like me as a first-time buyer, are dreaming of getting the keys in hand, you’ll need to know there’s an order to things. Finding myself in the lovely position of looking to purchase a home this year, I’ve wondered where to start. I’ve brought together some of my research to get you started.

1. THE MONEY PART

The average price of a detached property in Leicestershire in 2023 was £411,946, and the average price of a terraced house was £201,549 (Rightmove). Most mortgage providers require a deposit worth 10% of the total sum you’re looking to borrow. There are lots of useful and free mortgage calculators online to show what you could afford. Mortgage providers will check your credit score to tell how reliable you’ll be at paying them back. There are numerous ways to improve your credit score – speak to your bank or a mortgage broker for guidance.

2. APPLY FOR A MORTGAGE

This may sound a scarily early step, but you can usually apply online and, if the mortgage provider is happy, they’ll give you a ‘decision in principle’. This document tells you the maximum value you can afford. Estate agents will take you more seriously now because they know you’re a legitimate buyer.

3. FIND A HOME!

The fun part! The obvious place to start is a property website like Rightmove. You can approach individual estate agents in your chosen location –a good way to get on their books. Start searching well before you plan to make an offer, so you can spot houses that have been on the market for a while – you may be able to use this information to negotiate. Searching in advance will improve your knowledge of the market and what you can expect for your money.

4. MAKE AN OFFER

When you find an ideal home, use the estate agents’ guidance to gauge interest in the property. Some time may be spent in this negotiation spot; agents will guide you through this. As a first-time buyer, you come with the perk that you don’t have a chain. This is attractive to sellers because the process could be quicker.

5. DO THE LEGAL STUFF

Make a full mortgage application. You should also instruct your conveyancer to start the legal side of things, and arrange a survey of the property. A surveyor will tell you if there are works that need carrying out, which you can usually approach the current owner about to work out a deal.

6. COMPLETE AND EXCHANGE

If things have been going to plan, a completion date will be on the cards where the exchange of contracts seals the deal. The wait can result in sales falling though, which is more than a little disheartening. Hang tight and rely on the experts to guide you. So many people I know have lost out on their ‘dream home’ only to discover the one that came next was the one that was ‘meant to be’ after all.

Happy house hunting.

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We promise to recommend the right mortgage that meets your personal circumstances.

Our Mission is to provide a mortgage journey, without stress, hassle and anxiety, and at the same time protect your mortgage debt and family from unforeseen events.

At home with Hannah Drakeford

The BBC Interior Design Masters contestant tells us how she’s used her apartment as a canvas to develop her style, and how you should see your home as a place to be creative too WORDS BY

KERRY SMITH

Gone are the days of using one signature colour in the living room with an accent shade to splash here and there… or at least they are for me, having seen the interiors of Hannah Drakeford’s London apartment.

The Interior Design Masters contestant hails from Leicestershire’s Stoke Golding, where she valued outside space and village life. But growing up in ’90s Midlands, Hannah was intrigued by the bright futures that London was said to offer. She worked in the capital for fashion brands like Topshop and Oasis, designing store window displays and retail environments, but held on to her Leicestershire home, commuting for seven years before it finally became an unaffordable way of living.

“I got a job where they weren’t prepared to contribute to my travel anymore, so that gave me the push I needed to actually move down here, somewhat reluctantly,” Hannah told me. “I know Leicester has changed so much since I grew up there, it’s

now a lot more cultural and there’s a lot of opportunities, but I guess at the time for me, not so much. I almost immediately found my feet down here and now this feels like home.”

Hannah’s home is packed with personality. Clean lines, big shapes, clever angles, and bold colours all amount to a style that’s hard to put a name to, which she thinks could answer for her exit from this year’s BBC series.

“There was a big thing on the show about me not really having a clearly definable signature style, which I think was what tripped me up in the first episode. I’ve spent a lot of time going back and forth on it in my head and it’s like, I do [have a signature style], it’s just that you can’t sum it up in one snappy little sentence. There’s a joy in not fitting into a particular box from an aesthetic point of view.”

Her Japanese-inspired design to fulfil the Interior Design Masters brief of revamping a corporate hospitality box at Ascot Racecourse – complete with bar, cloakroom, and space for entertaining – saw her eliminated from the show in week three. “I didn’t expect that I would ever have to design a corporate hospitality box at Ascot at any point in

There’s a joy in not fitting into a particular box from an aesthetic point of view

my career; it’s not one of those things that I personally have aspired to do,” says Hannah. “Working for various high street fashion brands, I’ve always been trying to fit myself into brands’ boxes, so I thought: ‘This will be a walk in the park for me, I’ll be super adaptable.’”

And the result? “Ascot taught me that I don’t compromise all that easily anymore. It’s actually been quite self-affirming in a lot of ways. I have a specific aesthetic and brand I’ve been working really hard to build over the last four years. I am proud to stand for what I believe is the right thing and work with clients who find me because of my style. There’s strength in it and that’s something preventing me getting too embarrassed about having to leave the show so early.”

BEHIND THE SCENES

Once the brief is delivered, contestants get two days to bring their designs to life. In episodes two and three, Hannah had the unique opportunities to renovate former nun’s convent bedrooms and create a wildlife-themed activity centre for Chester Zoo.

Are these huge projects really filmed over two days? “What people

often don’t realise is how fast everything is. It comes across on camera that we are all just working to tight deadlines. But the build days when we’re on site are actually two days, and they are long filming days. You’re being pulled out to chat to and interview people and all of these little things, constantly being pulled away from the task at hand, so it’s very, very fast paced. It’s mentally, socially, and physically exhausting.”

Despite any pressures, the show has been uniquely memorable. “It’s literally the most incredible experience. I think my trajectory was a little up and down in terms of how successful I was, but even through all the stresses and strains that came with it and having to do everything in such a short space of time and being critiqued and all of that, it was such a fabulous experience. And it’s one of those things that’s once in a lifetime. Overall, it was so so positive; I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

DESIGN TIPS

Playing with bright and bold colours, patterns and shapes as Hannah does is daunting to many, but social media is certainly helping to open people’s eyes

I’m on a mission to spread the word that you don’t have to follow trends

as to what can be achieved. Hannah’s Instagram @hannah_drakeford_design is one account showing what’s possible on a creative budget.

“I decorated my apartment on a shoestring. I don’t come from a particularly wealthy background by any stretch of the imagination, so I’ve always had to be budget-conscious and try to make whatever funds I have available stretch as far as possible. I’ve used [this apartment] as a canvas to develop my style on. It’s brought me so much joy and I now live in somewhere that feels so uniquely me, and it feels like home.”

A ‘history nerd’, Hannah’s style references 20th century design. She particularly likes Brutalist and postwar architecture, as well as the use of primary colours and bold lines of the abstract Bauhaus movement. “They’re

all my visual references that I see a lot of come through in my design. So, it looks modern but it’s actually quite historical.”

You don’t need to know about historical movements and artistry to decorate your home and it’s OK not to know the name of the design concepts you’re drawn to. In fact, however you decorate your home will most likely have some historical influence in it, even if you didn’t mean to. It’s especially true if you’ve upcycled or repurposed any old furniture, of which Hannah is a big fan. “Not just because it’s sustainable – because it actually is in reducing furniture waste – but because there is just a lot of joy in the process,” she says. “There’s so many resources available online of people sharing their skills in tutorial form, showing you how to make something from nothing. You

can pick things up for free or cheap secondhand and make really beautiful pieces out of them.”

Most importantly though, Hannah says: “There’s an importance in trying to figure out how to express your personality in your home and your living environment. I’m on a mission to spread the word that you don’t have to follow trends and you can express your personality in the home.

“For me, 2024 is about breaking free from trends, and expressing your true identity and personality in your home in whatever form that takes. I’m all about trying to convince people to be brave with colour. It doesn’t have to be bright colours… but they do help,” Hannah laughs.

That mission will manifest into a book that Hannah’s currently coming up with a concept for, it will be “something along the lines of being brave with colour and using colour in a way that represents your personality”.

See Hannah’s designs at hd-design. co.uk. Stream Interior Design Masters on BBC iPlayer.

Leicester roots

Which building in Leicester would you love to get your hands on?

The Haymarket Shopping Centre. When I was knocking around in Leicester in the ’90s, it was dingy. My parents’ generation were very much like, ‘oh, ’60s architecture is ugly and unsightly’ and ‘think of all the gorgeous Victorian buildings that were knocked down for this monstrosity’. But I always thought it was quite cool! If I’d been able to get my hands on that building, I’d really celebrate its 1960s roots and turn it into a more iconic piece of architecture. I actually met the guy who designed the Haymarket when I lived in Greece for a year! I remember having an in-depth conversation about the design and how it was so radical.

DID YOU KNOW?

OUR VENUES HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS SINCE 2006?

With over 17 years of celebrating the most magical time of year, we are looking forward to planning another amazing Christmas season to remember.

Both venues will be brought to life with NEW themes, NEW menus, NEW drinks, beautifully decorated Ballrooms and incredible live entertainment!

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE PARMAR COLLECTION IN 2024:

Shared party nights running from the 28th November to the 31st December

Take That Tribute Night

Christmas Conference Delegate Packages

Afternoon Tea with Santa ABBA Christmas Party night

Black Iron Festive menu from the 18th November

Christmas day at Black Iron and in our Grand Ballroom

Festive Afternoon Teas at Black Iron

Black Iron at Home Christmas Boxes

Available to order until 17th December, for collection on the 23rd & 24th December

Shared party nights running from the 22nd November to the 22nd December

Take That Tribute Night

Christmas Conference Delegate Packages

Festive Afternoon Teas

NEW YEAR AT WINSTANLEY HOUSE

NYE PARTY!

Bring in the new year with us and let's celebrate 2025

JANUARY PARTY NIGHT

Saturday 4th January, perfect for those working in the industry to enjoy Christmas.

CULTURE

NEW FOOD FESTIVAL PUTS LEICESTER ON THE MAP

‘Leicester has long been known as an epicentre of foods from every culture’ – a brand new food festival aims to bring them all together this summer Words by Owen Chattaway

Set to be a weekend of spectacular food, drink, live music and family fun, Abbey Park welcomes Leicester’s brand-new food festival on August 10 and 11. Tickets were released in May and there’s a limited number of half price early bird tickets starting from just £5.

Sponsored by UberEats, it promises to be the biggest food and drink festival to be held in Leicester. It will bring together local food, independent makers from across the region, an exciting line up of street food vendors, local brewers, local bars, bakeries, distillers and more.

“Our main aim is to highlight and build Leicestershire’s food and drink reputation and really put us on the map. Leicester Food Festival is very much a natural extension of this ethos,” a spokesperson said. “Leicester has long been known as an epicentre of foods from every culture and we strive to collate the best food in the city, so you have all of Leicestershire’s amazing restaurants in one place.”

But it’s not just about the food. The festival has what’s said to be the UK's finest and most accurate live tribute to Coldplay, Ultimate Coldplay, headlining the main stage on Saturday, August 10. Dan East, who is widely considered to be the best Ed Sheeran tribute, will headline on Sunday, August 11.

There’s a programme of brilliant local bands, family shows and activities throughout the weekend as well. There’ll be an interactive story tent from Leicester based children’s publishers, Sweet Cherry Publishing, a Children’s Craft Tent, theatrical shows, character appearances with photo opportunities, a magical bubble fairy, balloon modelling, stilt walkers, Circus skills, face painting and glitter, workshops including wine tasting from local enthusiast @the.winefan, and gin masterclasses.

Midlands Makers, who are known for their local makers markets, will also be curating a bespoke artisan food and makers tent with over 100 stalls.

Leicester Riders and Leicester City in the Community representatives will be attending to engage and energise

our local community with fun activities. The festival has also teamed up with the famous local Billy Bates Fun Fair for the weekend – with all tickets for the festival giving you free entry into the fair, which can be accessed through a designated walkway.

The event has been put together in conjunction with Visit Leicester’s ‘Taste the Place’ campaign, an initiative all about experiencing the diverse food offer and bringing together our food and drink businesses from across the region.

Limited early bird tickets are now on sale from leicesterfoodfestival.co.uk. Both children’s and adult tickets are currently half price at £5 and £7.50; under fives go free.

You can follow Leicester Food Festival on Instagram @leicesterfoodfest and Facebook @leicesterfoodfestival.

The festival takes place Saturday, August 10, from 11am to 9pm and Sunday, August 11 from 11am to 6pm.

FIND THE NEWEST ARTWORKS

Leicester’s Bring The Paint street art festival

2024 – the largest line up of internationally acclaimed street artists in the UK reviewed by City Centre Director, Sarah Harrison

he return of Leicester’s Bring The Paint street art festival took place on May 20-26, once again transforming the streets with large scale pieces of public art. The fourth instalment of the awardwinning festival, which boasts the largest line-up of internationally acclaimed street artists in the UK, attracted thousands of visitors to the city over seven days coming to witness the artists’ progress as they painted fresh locations in what was the most ambitious festival yet. It featured a huge selection of international, national, and local artists creating over 30 murals across the city as well as a host of exhibitions, workshops, live music events, street art tours and many other family friendly activities. Since the first festival in 2017, Bring The Paint has drastically reinvented the visual landscape of the city, creating one of the largest free open-air galleries in the world for all to enjoy, and showcasing the all-round benefits of large scale public artwork.

Artistic Director of Bring The Paint, Izzy Peacock, said: “The world-class line-up spoke for itself and we are proud to have worked with such an incredible selection of artists.”

This year, world renowned artists from Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, The Netherlands, Brazil, Switzerland, France, and the UK continued the

SMUG & BRUS, YORK ROAD

N4T4, SHIRES LANE

transformation, with headline artists including Sofles, Smash, Taps & Moses, Super A, Nuno Viegas, Flying Fortress, Kinos, Kid Acne, 45rpm, Yard Warriors, Erwtje, Jo-Ber, and Smug.

This year’s festival was generously sponsored by Arts Council England, BID Leicester, Leicester City Council, De Montfort University, PPL PRS Ltd, Platform Housing, Jake & Nayns and Mills Nutrients and was inspired by Leicester’s identity as one of the most diverse cities in Europe.

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England said: “We were delighted to support Bring the Paint 2024, thanks to money from National Lottery players. Leicester’s urban landscape has once again been transformed with incredible artwork from over 250 international artists. This major celebration of street art is one of the biggest visual arts festivals in the UK.”

The funding and vision enabled the organisers to build on the theme of collaboration, bringing together artists from across the world who would not normally meet, empowering them to re-imagine this vibrant destination and give the public a chance to witness the spectacular works being created first hand.

Find the new artworks on the Bring The Paint festival map at bringthepaint.co.uk/map.

ERWTJE, YEOMAN STREET

POES & JO-BER, SOUTHAMPTON STREET

SAM GRUBB, HIGH STREET

SUPER A, SLATER STREET

I have been a Strive member for 3 years now. The Strive programme has excellent events and resources that beneﬁt my emotional and mental health. I recommend these events and joining Strive.

I enjoy weekly Energise sessions online with Clare to help me live healthily in body and mind. I also attend the monthly Refocus events which give me food for thought and I ﬁnd the speakers stimulating. But I also do use the online Strive platform resources as the go-to place for help when I need it.

I highly recommend joining Strive and making the most of this mental wellness resource and community..

Peter Smith Strive member

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Making international waves, Opal22 provides projects that reduce barriers faced by people of colour in accessing mainstream arts, heritage and culture. I caught up with its founder to chat justice, rewriting history and why knowledge is power Words by Emily Miller

Art and celebratory exhibitions by Tara Munroe have black history right. Showcasing important artists, discovering Casta paintings depicting racial mixes, and vital work in de-colonising and rewriting black history, the Niche Business Awards 2024 Businesswoman of the Year nominee has endeavoured for change all her working life.

Hungry to continue striving for change, Tara founded Opal22 working with community centres, prisons, universities and consulting to create a more inclusive and representative community, helping organisations equip their teams with education and training in anti-racism and equality, diversity and inclusivity (EDI).

“I’ve always had a sense of injustice in the world, change has always been part of my drive. So many of my family members are part of social change working in different social services. My parents are from the Caribbean and brought us up to know exactly where we came from.

“I’ve always loved museums. I remember my grandad telling me about so much of the black history that museums got wrong. And I’ve continuously questioned the black history narrative – it’s that and my need for justice that has led me to where I am today.”

And where she is today is no accident. She studied for a degree in Design Management & Innovation at De Montfort University, where she was integral in an award-winning live project with the Leicester Museum Service. From here, she was headhunted by New Walk Museum as part of a positive action traineeship, which included funding for her masters, to get people from diverse backgrounds into the museum.

Through the Casta exhibition at New Walk, Tara successfully decoded and decolonised objects from the past, enriching not only her organisation but also the broader social fabric and the wider community. Which is where Tara and her organisation achieved national recognition. Then, the pandemic hit and headlines everywhere

featured the death of George Floyd. After encountering the fractures in her communities, she decided to bring everyone together with a unique podcast packed with kids' shows, comedians, interviews with the Windrush generation, football club chats, quiz shows and everything in between.

“I was so nervous when we went live, but we attracted over 7,000 viewers! It made a huge impact on our audience, bringing people together at a time of disbelief and grief.” News services were reaching out to Tara to hear her speak about George Floyd and the impact of his death, and so she became a spokesperson for the black community.

I’ve always had a sense of injustice in the world, change has always been part of my drive

Opal22 is the culmination of her work in museums, the podcasts and her passion for change-bringing projects, consultancy and vital work de-colonising work in museums along with her team here in Leicester and internationally.

“I have been told I look at things differently – I believe in open discussion, we all have so much to learn from each other’s’ cultures. Knowledge is power, when we know the truth and are open to learning – that’s where real change happens.”

TARA MUNROE

WE’VE BEEN NOMINATED

THE RISE OF PODCASTING

Podcasting is experiencing a boom period, becoming the go-to long-form content for audiences worldwide. Tom Young spoke to Adam Baskill, co-founder of Loughboroughbased podcast producers Elevate Studios, for his insight on the rise of the medium

It’s not a new phenomenon, but the rise of podcasting has been explosive over the last few years. The pandemic created a window of opportunity where people suddenly had time, expendable income, and a need for human connection – prime conditions for a podcasting boom. Microphones were ordered, formats conceptualised, vast amounts of content created, and audiences grew. YouTube and other online platforms have long been ushering in the downfall of traditional television broadcasting, as creators began narrowcasting to their own niche audiences. Podcasting has done the same for radio; no matter your interest, there’s a podcast for it.

It’s a reflection of a populace that has become increasingly isolated through social media and smart phones, yet still craves the intimacy of human connection. What is a podcast, if not an opportunity to eavesdrop on an in-depth conversation? A chance to get to know one or two people in greater detail… while maintaining a healthy distance.

This has also created a business opportunity. As more and more people look to get into podcasting, those with recording, editing and – crucially – marketing know-how become more in demand.

Elevate Studios was founded in November 2023 by the combined forces of Adam Baskill, Laura King Berry and Tom Bates. Laura and Tom come from a marketing background, but Adam was the one with the podcast experience.

“Yes, accidentally,” Adam notes. “I’ve been a musician all my life and turned professional in my mid-teens. I was recording, gigging, and even ended up opening a music retail outlet in Nottinghamshire with two stores. From that, I ended up doing a few side projects for podcasters –recording, producing, editing, creating jingles, and so on, because I had all the equipment.

“I closed that business down in 2019. I met Laura and Tom and started working with them as a senior marketing executive. After a year and half, we started our own podcast, which generated a lot of interest, and led to various clients asking us to produce theirs. We realised there was a business to be had.”

With such a variety of podcasts available, and a market flooded with enthusiastic amateurs, finding quality could be a challenge. But Adam is confident that you don’t have to be

ADAM BASKILL

You have to start somewhere; if you overthink it constantly, you’ll never start – and if you never start, you’ll never grow

the finished article to make a start.

“It’s not so much a case of scouting for talent, as coaching it. If someone is interested in starting a podcast, yes, charisma is very important - how they present themselves and how people perceive them – as you can’t really teach that. But we can certainly help people get comfortable behind a microphone or in front of a camera.

“You need a good foundation of strong personality, strong ideas, and a little bit of confidence. You need to be willing to share your stories and experiences, potentially with the world. It’s not necessarily a deal breaker though –we’ve had clients who weren’t confident when they started or were subject to self-critique or imposter syndrome. But you gain confidence through experience. You have to start somewhere; if you overthink it constantly, you’ll never start –and if you never start, you’ll never grow.”

On the other hand, you might be an expert in producing podcasts, but have no idea how to market it. Having access to Laura and Tom’s marketing experience enables Elevate to offer a full service.

“We can take an existing podcast, brand it, create its music, and make it sound fantastic. We also know how all the platforms work and understand the analytics and algorithms, but I think the most important thing is understanding how people consume content these days.

“Social media and email are all effective ways to market, but podcasting is different. It has a human element that you have to present in a very delicate way. You want to create a relationship with the listener, so you can’t rely on the bluntness of a cold call-esque email campaign or generic social media post. It needs to be community-centric.”

It’s such an intimate medium. Forgetting that is often the mistake of businesses who start a podcast as a platform for their sales pitch. A good podcast builds a relationship between host and listener and earns their trust, but that can be shattered if it feels ad-heavy.

“You need to have a clear objective and know what you’re doing it for. Some people create podcasts for fun with family and friends and build a community. Others do it to generate revenue or brand awareness, but if your episodes are just talking about your products or services, no one is going to interact with that, because it’s not what podcasting is about.

“Podcasting is about valuable content and real, interesting conversations. That’s what people are craving. At the end of that, you can provide a softer call to action –‘if you’ve enjoyed this, we’d love to hear from you, etc’ – which works wonders. But you don’t have to do the constant hard sell; that doesn’t work.”

To start your own podcast, go to elevate-studios.co.uk or contact adam@elevate-studios.co.uk for advice and guidance.

‘THERE’S LIFE AFTER ROMEO!’

Global sensation & JULIET comes to Curve in 2025, and with it,

multi-platinum selling recording artist and award-winning West End actor Matt Cardle Words by Kerry Smith

&JULIET is a global success and an Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award winning and Tony Award nominated musical. The West End production at the Shaftesbury Theatre thrilled audiences from 2019-2023, with the smash-hit Broadway production breaking box office records and a US tour set to embark in September 2024.

Matt Cardle will play the role of Shakespeare in the upcoming & JULIET UK and Ireland tour. The UK and Ireland tour will visit Leicester’s Curve theatre from Monday 17 to Saturday 22 February, 2025.

Matt Cardle rose to fame as the winner of The X Factor’s highest ever rated series in 2010, beating One Direction who came third. The singer has released four studio albums and is set to release his fifth later this year. On stage, Matt starred as Huey Calhoun in Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre, West End) alongside Beverley Knight, for which he received the WhatsOnStage award for ‘Best West End Debut.’

The full creative team for the UK and Ireland tour of & JULIET includes David West Read (book), Max Martin and Friends (music and lyrics), director Luke Sheppard, choreographer Jennifer Weber, musical supervisor Bill Sherman, scenic designer Soutra Gilmour, costume designer Paloma Young, lighting designer Howard Hudson, sound designer Gareth Owen, video and projection designer Andrzej Goulding, Suzy Bennett on hair, wig and makeup design, and Dominic Fallacaro (additional arrangements and orchestrations).

On February 17-22, 2025, & JULIET comes to Curve. Tickets are on sale now at curveonline.co.uk, call 0116 242 3595 or visit the box office in-person.

THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN

Of all the ways to connect with friends in 2024, one of the simplest is as old school as it gets: a board game.

Tom Young met the owner of ReRoll Board Game Café for insight on the renaissance of gaming

As a society, we have never been more connected, yet so separated. The pandemic taught us new ways to stay in touch without leaving isolation, and with social media keeping us informed of each other’s lives, it’s easy to forget that you haven’t actually seen your mates in an age. Therefore, there’s something pleasingly analogue about meeting up to play a board game.

ReRoll Board Game Café is in Granby Street – look for the door to the left of San Carlo’s restaurant – and is the perfect meeting place for those interested in digital-free gaming. Their library contains everything from Chess and Ticket to Ride, to Cluedo and Dungeons & Dragons, via Boggle, Risk, and Carcassonne, to name but a few.

ReRoll is the passion project of owner Sam Cunnington; armed with an inventory full of hospitality experience, he rolled the dice on a new venture.

“I’d worked in a few hotels, including a five-star one,” he says, while reaching into the café fridge for a fresh pack of smoked salmon slices, as if to prove the point. He assembles a customer’s cream cheese and salmon bagel as we talk.

“I went travelling and met a lot of small business owners. I saw them working hard for themselves, and thought: ‘Why do I work so hard for other people?’

“I had the idea [for ReRoll] rattling around my head for six

months, and eventually my sister – who owns her own nursery – said: ‘Just do it!’

“We were going to open in 2020, but the pandemic gave me a chance to buy games and learn how to play them.”

You can’t be the host of a board game café without being an expert, but Sam thinks ReRoll offers something purer than just a library of games.

“We provide escapism. I love games because I’ve got ADHD and my brain runs at a thousand miles per hour, but when I sit down to play Magic, it all stops and I love it.”

Games provide focused quality time and shared experience. They’re time spent with loved ones, all concentrating on the same thing. And by going out to a café, you are removed from all the distractions of home. For a few hours, the game is all that matters.

What’s next for ReRoll? Naturally, the expansion pack.

“We’re looking at opening a second location in another city. Then I literally had a dream about opening a ReRoll Hotel. Like a spa hotel, but with games instead of the spa! Each room would be themed to a different game; we could host tournaments, corporate events, big nerdy weddings… that’s the endgame.”

Regular events take place at ReRoll every day of the week, check them out at rerollcafe.com.

REVIEWED: MIXALA TEA BLENDS

Traditional Masala Chai re-imagined with bold, unexpected twists here in the UK by Mixala tea blends Words by Emily Miller

Originating in India, chai is a spiced tea blend that typically includes a combination of black tea, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Historically, chai tea was believed to have been created for use in Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine in India. The blend of spices used in chai tea was thought to have various health benefits, such as aiding in digestion and boosting the immune system.

Over time, chai tea became popular not only in India but also around the world. It has also been adapted in various ways, with different cultures adding their own twist to the traditional recipe.

This ‘twist’ is where Mixala fits so perfectly with its own range of unexpected and unique blends. The company is run by husband-and-wife team Amit and Jaspreet who come from British, Indian, and Tanzanian backgrounds. They said to Niche: “We started Mixala firstly because we love Masala Chai tea! We are passionate about its health benefits and enjoy that we can play with the flavours like we do.”

The exciting range, featuring Toffee Mint, Cocoa, English Rose and Italian Biscuit, carefully encased within biodegradable triangular tea bags, is high quality and delicious. I loved them all – in particular, the Cocoa blend. It’s cosy and comforting and hits the sweet tooth post-lunch and dinner that I often crave, whilst the Italian Biscuit was a lovely addition with a piece of cake in the afternoon. I especially like that they have a depth of flavour and the health benefits that come with chai tea.

New customers get 10% off their first order when signing up to the newsletter via mixala-chai.com and orders over £35 qualify for free delivery.

MAKERS YARD

‘One of Leicester’s hidden gems’ is a phrase we hear far too often; Leicester is filled with amazing people and places that need a light shining on them. Here at Niche, we have the opportunity to be a foil to these gemstones, helping them to shine more brightly.

One such place is a hub for Leicester’s creative businesses. A building filled with artists, milliners, haberdashers and pattern makers, picture framers, engravers, printers, potters and ceramicists, burlesque and cabaret producers, and more!

Tom Young paid a visit to Rutland Street to meet this amazing building’s inhabitants, and show you around inside…

ABOUT MAKERS’ YARD

St George’s Cultural Quarter is home to many interesting buildings, filled with exciting projects and unique people. Whether it be the ‘colourful’ history of what was most recently Orton’s Brasserie; the former-cinema turned events venue, Athena; or Leicester’s biggest producing theatre, Curve – to name but a few – there are many engaging reasons to visit the area.

Yet many will be unaware that a short jaunt past Curve and along Rutland Street will bring you to a building steeped in Leicester’s industrial history. Today, Makers’ Yard is filled with some of the city’s most creative and vibrant entrepreneurs. While its current guise celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023, the oldest part of the building will turn 170 this year.

Genesis

82-86 Rutland Street began life as one of the many homes for Leicester’s then-soon-to-be-thriving hosiery industry. Historically, framework knitting had been done at home, with employees renting their frames from their employers,

and given a set amount of yarn and instructions of what to make. Their finished products would be collected as the next set of yarn was delivered.

The first part of the building was built by employer John Brown in 1854 as a warehouse to store the completed goods. However, by 1860, Brown had clearly gone off the idea of remote working, and extended the building to include a frame shop, seeking to gain more control over his employees and the knitting process.

The rest of the building was completed in 1862, as Brown added another warehouse. To protect finished garments from the risk of fire, the warehouses were not connected to the factory.

In 1867, Brown went into business with his sons, James and Charles, forming J Brown & Sons. The factory wasn’t powered, so to allow the knitters to work from dawn to dusk, large windows were installed along the walls of the frame shop. Today, those windows provide plenty of natural light for the artistic tenants, but originally they were smeared with a waxy substance to prevent the sun’s glare from distracting the workers and prevent them from dropping stitches.

With at least six frames and yarn winders in each frame shop, the mechanical noise was cacophonous, and the workers would often sing to drown this out.

By the 1890s, J Brown & Sons had moved out of Rutland Street, with the building passing to smaller manufacturers, including tanners Wilkinson Leather, boot manufacturers Briggs and Sons, and paper bag makers Holland and Co. Thus began the building’s tradition of being a shared space for creative/manufacturing businesses.

Leicester at war

The First World War brought a fundamental change to the industry. Factories that were once male-dominated began employing women to replace the men who’d enlisted to fight.

From 1912, leather production had become a key feature of the building, with leather factors company Townsend, Hunt and Co eventually becoming permanent tenants from 1925 to 1970.

In the Second World War, women and older children once again stepped up to fill the workforce void as the men went

off to war; though this time, the women were paid an equal rate for their labour.

The garments they produced varied greatly to their peace-time output, as many of Leicester’s factories began producing for the armed forces.

‘The city that clothed the world’

Post-war Leicester’s hosiery and textile industry was considered to be the largest in the world. Factories populated the city’s skyline, with smaller workshops spread throughout the city, and usually linked to the larger companies.

The Rutland Street site was relatively small, especially compared to the nearby St Margaret’s factory owned by hosiery giant Corah, which at one point employed over 6,500 people. Yet the Makers’ Yard buildings represent the varying scale of the businesses that made up Leicester’s textile industries.

The fashions of the ‘swinging ‘60s’ brought a fresh boom to the hosiery trade, with Leicester becoming known as ‘the city that clothed the world’.

The building became the factory for Charnwood Hosiery in the 1980s, producing fashion, sports and military socks. It produced football socks for Manchester United, Liverpool, and our own Leicester City – it even produced a pair for Terry Wogan!

Creators & makers

Charnwood Hosiery ceased trading in 2002, leaving the buildings empty and at risk of demolition, especially at a time when the city was looking to regenerate the area. As the oldest surviving hosiery factory in the East Midlands, it received Grade II listed status from English Heritage in 2006 but remained vacant and dilapidated.

In 2012, the city council partnered with the European Regional Development Fund to modernise the buildings and rename the site as Makers’ Yard. Much of the building’s original features and industrial heritage have been maintained, but it now houses 10 studio workspaces that play host to a range of creative entrepreneurs.

Niche spoke to several of them…

Name: Sarah Laws

Businesses: Handmade Wardrobe / Crafty Sew & So Events Service: Dressmaking patterns and sewing workshops Website: myhandmadewardrobepatterns.com and craftysewandso.com

One of the shared workspaces within Makers’ Yard, and predominantly populated by textiles specialists, Studio 6 visually lives up to the expectations I had for it.

One desk is surrounded by dozens of mannequin heads, each adorned with a fabulously colourful hat. Another wall is lined with rolls of fabrics. A table by the door has a cooking pot on a low simmer, stewing the perfect blend of colours to produce a green dye for an ongoing restoration project. Another corner has an actual loom, and there’s no shortage of sewing machines.

This is what a creative space should look like.

Two armchairs and a sofa form a communal area by the kitchenette where myself, Sarah, Giulia and Claire settle in

Name: Giulia Mio

Business: Giulia Mio Millinery Service: Award-winning Italian milliner, bespoke couture handmade hats and headwear Website: giuliamiomillinery.com

to talk about their work – though Giulia intermittently checks the progress of her dye colour.

There’s a definite community feel to the room. Each of the businesses represented could potentially work independently from home, but there’s an obvious joy and enthusiasm to the collaboration and support gained from their shared workspace.

“We’re very much a community and look after each other,” says Sarah. “For me, it’s changed the direction of my business. I’ve expanded into areas I wouldn’t have thought I was capable of without these incredible women around me.

“Also, having a formal workspace adds validity to my business. People take me seriously, rather than thinking: ‘Oh, she does a bit of sewing – that’s a nice hobby’. Working here, instead of at home, has been worth every penny.”

“The skills in this room merge and influence each other,” adds Giulia. “We’re each other’s consultants! We can ask: ‘What do you think of this colour?’ or ‘Do you think I need more yellow in this dye?’. But we can also sit down and say: ‘I’m having a crisis with this piece – what do you think?’ and we easily understand each other.

“We all value the time it takes to do something. None of us are interested in cutting corners – unless it’s a clever way to cut the corner and do something better. It needs to be done properly, and that’s a value that’s often lost these days.”

“We’re all interested in heritage skills,” says Claire. “We’re all very ethical. I’ll use whatever I can from vintage pieces, so it’s zero waste. Anything left over finds its way into something else!”

The products created and the services offered in Studio 6

Name: Claire Shell

Business: Pin Curls Vintage Services

Service: 'All your vintage needs in one place'; vintage clothing, hair and makeup, swing dance instructor, and gramophone DJ

Website: pincurlsvintage.com

are unique. Whether it’s a vintage piece found and restored by Claire, a bespoke hat made by Giulia, or a dress pattern created by Sarah, there’s a nobility to creating something specific to that customer.

“I don’t repeat hats,” says Giulia. “There’s no point in making the same thing over and over. Each hat is tailored to the person who comes through the door. They need to trust me a little bit, but I try not to impose my style on them. That’s why I have them come in, and ask: ‘what do you like, what do you not like, show me your dress, show me your shoes… Let’s work together’. Even the occasion matters: ‘Are you going to a wedding? OK, then you need to think about how the brim casts a shadow for photos...’.”

“Yes, I like working with people,” agrees Claire. “I do quite a bit of styling. I love doing the hair and makeup for weddings; it's making somebody feel good. It may seem like a really frivolous thing, but when you can give somebody self-confidence through the way they look, it can massively change them. And vintage is so flattering – I love dressing someone in it and seeing their face light up.”

Sarah adds: “It’s definitely helped me to see the value of my whole service, rather than just the product. It’s the whole customer experience, and you can get it all here in Leicester.”

Much of what I experienced during my visit to Makers’ Yard was about connection – whether it be the collaboration between tenants or the way that art helps us to connect to each other – but it’s the services and enthusiasm of the women in Studio 6 that could help us to connect with ourselves.

Also in Studio 6…

Name: Ruth Nutting

Businesses: Rolk / RK:Laser Service: Rolk - Quirkful jewellery, gifts & homewares. RK:Laser - Laser cutting service.

Website: etsy.com/uk/shop/RolkShop

What made you want to start your business? Whilst studying Decorative Arts at university, I had the option to do a business plan instead of a dissertation. Ten years on it has changed a lot and continues to evolve! I adore the freedom of working for yourself and being able to create something rare and different.

What do you love about your work? I’m happiest when designing something new and seeing it turn into a product that once just existed in my mind.

Favourite thing about Makers’ Yard? The friendships it has given me, I have made very special friends-for-life over the years, and I’m so glad to be surrounded by likeminded people. Also, the building is beautiful.

Name: Gary Veeren & Alex Smith

Business: A&G Bespoke Picture Framers Service: Bespoke Framing and Restorations Website: leicesterpictureframers.co.uk

Gary ‘Gaz’ Veeren greeted me warmly as I arrived at Studio 7, before immediately putting on some background music and taking a seat atop one of his workbenches.

Gaz has spent the majority of his life as a roadie for rock 'n' roll bands, and it seemed clear that he regards any moment without music as time wasted.

After all, to quote artist Jean-Michel Basquiat: “Art is how we decorate space; music is how we decorate time”.

It was the prospect of having musicless time on his hands that led Gaz to his co-residency at Makers’ Yard.

“About 10 years ago, I came off one tour and had three months off. I thought: ‘What am I going to do? I can’t go down the pub every day.’ I bumped into Al – we’ve been best mates since we were 18, and he was already doing picture framing –and he just so happened to be changing premises [to Makers’ Yard] and needed somebody’s car to help move.

“I said I’d come down, pitch in a bit, and then go off on my tours as they came up. And that’s what we’ve been doing. I’ve been here about 10 years, and Alex has been going 30. We each work four days a week, and then on Fridays I go and volunteer at an animal sanctuary, mucking out pigs and goats, and getting some proper free range eggs.”

As is typical of the inhabitants of Makers’ Yard, Gaz is clearly passionate about his craft, and sees it as an opportunity to enhance whatever picture or memory a client wants framed. They’re not limited to pictures either, as they can frame paintings, prints, photographs and even football shirts and other sports memorabilia.

“It’s about enhancing the picture. People come in and say:

‘I’ve got this print, and I’ve got grey walls’, and I say: ‘It’s not about your walls, it’s about the picture’. The wrong frame is going to overpower it, or the glass is going to glare.

“We have UV art glass, which prevents sun damage, but it’s also invisible so your image still looks HD. If you’ve spent a few hundred quid on the print, you want to go to town and show it off at its best.”

It’s clear that you get what you pay for, and aside from paying for top quality materials, you also pay for Gaz and Alex’s years of expertise.

“We had a guy come in with an original Tracey Emin, and whoever framed it had literally glued it down. I had to tell him, ‘you want to have a word with them mate, because it’s worthless now’. So yeah, we are quite expensive, but if you’ve bought something quite expensive, you want to look after it properly.”

I asked Gaz what the advantage of being based at Makers’ Yard is, and his answer was characteristically upfront.

“We don’t pay business rates!” he laughs. “It makes what we do so much more affordable. If we did have to pay business rates, the place would be empty.”

Name: Danielle Tomlinson

Business: Danielle Tomlinson Art

Service: Fine Artist, specialising in wildlife art; both original pieces and commissions Website: danielletomlinsonart.com (@danielletomlinsonart on Instagram / TikTok)

Art used to be everywhere. Oil paintings preserved the memories of family members, loved ones, and prominent members of society, adorning the walls of houses and galleries across the land. In contemporary society, in much the same way as the car replaced the horse and cart, photography has replaced the need for art. As a result, both art and horses have become scarce, luxury items. There’s an exclusivity to it, accessible only to the wealthy, and creating an affordability barrier for the everyman.

But good art – of any medium – deserves to be seen and admired.

Danielle is a contemporary fine artist, creating stunning portraits that fuse different influences and artistic techniques into something that is uniquely hers. Choosing to start with an easy one, I begin by asking her what the role of art is in modern society.

“I think it’s sustenance. Even if you can’t afford for it to hang on your wall, it can still move you. You might see a piece you love in the National Gallery, but you can’t take that home either!

“I do think the average person should still treat it as a necessity, because – like poetry, like music – art can move us

in a particular way and help us to make sense of the world. It helps us understand that the human experience is shared, and what we’re experiencing has been experienced before.”

If you’ve encountered Danielle’s work before, you may already know her story – after years of training to be an Olympic swimmer, the pandemic encouraged her to switch careers to her other childhood passions: art and animals. ➸

Having already produced a few pieces, she invested in an art marketing course and built a business.

Hours of further research and dedication has brought her work to the masses. Creative people are often good at their medium, but find the admin side a hassle; by contrast, Danielle’s business acumen is genuinely impressive. She’s harnessed the power of social media with her work often going viral on Instagram and TikTok. It’s not an accident.

“I learned how to read the data! You don’t get to 46,000 followers if you don’t understand Instagram insights. I don’t post at 11am on a Sunday at random – that’s when my followers are active. I learned how to run ads by myself and interpret the data. I could’ve spent thousands getting someone else to do it for me, but I couldn’t afford that, so I learned to do it myself. I’ve spent so many hours listening to podcasts or watching YouTube videos.”

Danielle’s social media is a regular dose of colour on any timeline. She excels at telling the story of each piece she creates, sharing progress updates, background information, and a final reveal. The result being that by the time a piece is complete and available for purchase, her audience already has an emotional investment in it.

“What’s nice about art is that people resonate with stories. No matter whether you’re an artist, an actor, a poet, a musician, we are just telling stories with our art, and that’s a beautiful thing. All my original work has a story behind it, though I don’t always share what it is because sometimes it’s personal.

“Take my recent T-Rex painting. I painted it because I loved dinosaurs as a child, and I never grew out of it. I went to Wollaton Hall Museum in Nottingham because they’ve got a full T-Rex skeleton that came all the way from Montana. We’ve not had another complete one in the UK in the last 50 years, so I went, and I was gobsmacked by the sheer size of it. It was a magical moment that took me back to childhood. I

came back and started painting.

“Then I took it to a show in Shoreditch and it was handsdown my most photographed piece – I’d say every 10 seconds someone stopped to take a photo. People had a connection to it. For me, as an artist, creating something that people can relate to is amazing – I’d never got to see it before, because I’m purely based online.”

Danielle’s passion for animals and conservationism – a regular inspiration for her choices of subject – led to a recent collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund. When sold, her painting of a Hawksbill Turtle – one of the world’s 10 most endangered species – will raise funds to support the WWF’s efforts. The contribution reflects an artist who is driven by more than money.

“I’m motivated by having enough money to do what I want, when I want, with no problem, but I want to get there by doing things that make me happy. I think you’re only happy when you’re doing something that excited you as a child.

“That passion, that spark that brought you to life as a kid never leaves you, and you should at least try to do it as a hobby. I think that’s why a lot of people find creative careers later, because they spend a lifetime trying to deny to themselves that that’s what they want to do.”

The second shared workspace at Makers’ Yard is much more eclectic than Studio 6. While the methods of creativity are each very different, the camaraderie within this supportive environment are just as evident

Name: Bhavna Gandhi

Business: Resonate Arts

Service: Resin-based wall art and home decor pieces; workshops for all ability levels

Website: etsy.com/uk/shop/ResonateArts

For the last few years, my social media feeds have presented me with video after video of epoxy resin art; someone turning a piece of driftwood into a coffee table, someone else filling a bucket of resin with coloured pencils, and then carving it into a fruit bowl… I won’t lie, it’s mesmeric. I’ve watched hours of these things.

Bhavna’s art uses different types of resin. Epoxy is used for floral preservation, creating colourful keepsakes of wedding bouquets and other flowers, while other ecofriendly resins are used to create most of her work.

“I create ocean pieces; I go to Cornwall every year, and a lot of my inspiration comes from there. I’ll pick up natural elements like pebbles, shells, or sea glass. I brought a lot of sand back to the studio, dried it out, and then encompassed the natural elements into my pieces.”

The pieces Bhavna creates are beautiful, and range in scale from seashell ornaments filled with miniature beaches, to wall art reminiscent of planets, to resin and crystal-topped coffee tables.

Her new selection of workshops allows people of all experience levels to have a go at creating resin art. Contact gandhi767@gmail.com for more information.

Name: Neh Sharma

Business: Designs by Neev and Yana

Service: Boutique hand-printed wedding stationery and greetings cards, workshops, and more

Website: neevandyana.com

They say ‘behind every great man is a great woman’,” Neh begins, “but for me it’s the other way round.”

Having always been creative and crafty, when Covid struck, Neh’s husband encouraged her

MAKERS

to do something for herself, and turn a passion into a business, named for their two daughters.

“It was a chance to be a role model for our girls. I designed my first greeting card – the ‘To A Beautiful Mummy to be’ one –but wasn’t happy with the digital printing; I didn’t feel like it had a personal touch. My husband works in Design Technology, so I asked him to cut out the feet for me. I liked it, posted it, and people bought it. From there, we gradually made more cards.”

Neh’s love for the personal touch means a lot of her products are hand-printed, and she kindly let me have a go, creating both a greetings card and a tote bag. It was quickly apparent that my artistic standards where nowhere close to hers; my skills evidently haven’t progressed much since primary school.

By contrast, Neh’s pieces have an innate elegance, presented on handmade paper made by her friend in India. In an age where greetings cards can feel either twee or tacky, Neh’s artistry adds so much value.

Name: Dean Williams

Business: Laser Engraving Gifts

Service: Design studio, creating laser cut and engraved gifts

Website: laserengravinggifts.co.uk

Dean has been a creative entrepreneur for over 20 years, initially setting up as ‘Dean the Art Wizard’. He’s turned his hand to many unique artistic projects over the years, creating unique sculptures, including a welded alligator, a five-foot fox made from recycled bottle tops and plastic bags, and an 11ft horse made from 5,000 recycled CDs.

He’s also run art and design workshops for schools and communities, helping to ensure that all children are given opportunities to express themselves.

His current project, set to launch next year, is a healthy superhero series that will help teach kids about the importance of healthy eating, and how to plant seeds and grow vegetables in their own gardens.

“I’m working with a copywriter at the LCB depot, who’s writing a book with me. We’ve been thinking about different superpowers for each vegetable, based on what the different foods do. The cress character, for example, has hands for hair, and as they grow, they stop toxins and pollution.

“I illustrate and design the characters, and then my copywriter ties it all together. There will be products of each character to go along with it.”

Those products are the current staple of Dean’s business. He offers a range of laser cut and engraved gifts, that can be tailored to whatever you want.

“I love being able to take anything from a logo, character, sign, or story, and turn it into a product that’s not been created before. Being able to design something and make it instantly is so satisfying for me.”

Also in Studio 9…

Name: Cathy Moran

Business: The Findings

Service: Repairing and reworking vintage clothing and textiles. Beginners’ workshops for hand-sewing, mending, and creative customisation.

Website: etsy.com/uk/shop/ TheFindingsWorkshop

What made you want to start your business? It’s in my blood! One side of my family were antiques dealers, and the other was heavily involved in the local church, which meant lots of jumble sales – I’ve always been drawn to old and battered pieces with a story to tell!

What do you love about your work? It’s so varied; I could be working on a 1970s chair or a 100-year-old dress. I love the stories behind the pieces – sometimes you can chart the special occasions of someone's life through their clothes.

Favourite thing about Makers’ Yard? My studio neighbours are so inspiring! They have given me the confidence to diversify my business and introduce far more creativity to my work.

Helping fight period poverty among disadvantaged women and girls

Through our sanitary product subscription service, we raise funds to provide free products as well as educate women and girls menstrual hygiene and put an end to period poverty and stigma attached to menstruation.

How does Bear Earth work?

Monthly subscriptions can be ordered to have sanitary products discretely delivered to your door or you can choose to donate your subscription to a woman who can’t afford to access products.

Choose from 3 packages

To find out more about the subscription service and Bear Earth get in touch

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Imagine knowing your donation had made this much difference.

Every year we aim to offer the kids and families we support one day trip a month.

It might be to see the latest new film at a special cinema screening, or a visit to the farm or zoo.

It’s all part of our commitment to help young people with disabilities live ordinary lives.

But we can’t do this without support. Could your business sponsor our Family Events Calendar?

To say thank you, we will reference your business in our social media posts about the visit – and give you a quote in our press release and on our website. IT COSTS BETWEEN £1,500 AND £2,000 A TRIP INTERESTED?

Get in touch with our Fundraising Team, Laura Shephard or Toni Holland and find out more about the trips you can fund and the benefits to your business. Laura.shephard@menphys.org.uk Toni.holland@menphys.org.uk menphys.org.uk

LAMP 5K: YOUR CHALLENGE,

YOUR CHOICE

Every year, mental health charity Lamp organises a 5k run to raise funds and awareness for their services. This year, they diversified! The ‘Your Challenge, Your Choice’ campaign gave supporters the option to create their own challenges, producing a great variety of fundraising events – we’ve highlighted just a few Words by Tom Young

Sky Dive

Lamp arranged for a select number of gullible willing volunteers to throw themselves out of a plane in exchange for sponsorship money. The jump took place on May 24 and and tose involved were from a range of Leicestershire businesses including Lamp, Cross Productions, Lawson West Solicitors, easyStorage, Hollingsworths Solicitors, Barratt Smith Brown, Furnley House, and The Rutland & Derby Arms.

Chicken Wing Challenge

Sally Smith from Cross Productions organised the Chicken Wing Challenge at East Street Lanes on April 12. Those with asbestos-infused taste buds paid to participate and were confronted with five increasingly spicy hot wings. Eighteen brave souls began the challenge, but only two made it past the finish line. A unique but very enjoyable event (for those watching), it raised £353.99 for Lamp.

Curry Night

For those who prefer to consume spicy food in an enjoyable way, Pete Martin Photography organised a Curry Night at Dine India in Countesthorpe on May 13. Fifty percent of the ticket fee was donated to the charity, along with proceeds from the raffle, raising £765.

5k Run

The traditional Lamp 5k took place on May 18 at Victoria Park, as organised each year by Lamp Ambassador Greg Hollingsworth. The headline sponsor for the event was

CBA Business Solutions and saw participants from across Leicester’s business community running to support the charity. Some were more experienced runners than others – Lamp’s own Liam Deacy, for example, was completing his 50-mile challenge – but everyone displayed fantastic energy and commitment to make it all the way round!

Total raised

At time of writing, the total fundraising figure from all involved in the Your Challenge, Your Choice campaign, has so far raised £26,582.

The annual Lamp 5K campaign, this year themed 'Your Challenge, Your Choice' continues throughout the summer. To get invovled, to donate, or find out more about lamp's mental health services, visit lampadvocacy.co.uk.

OPEN

A glimpse into unique workplaces in Leicestershire

OFF CE

Inside LCB Depot, Leicester’s creative hub

In the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, LCB Depot is more than just a workspace. Once a bustling city bus depot built in 1969, this space has transformed into the city's ultimate creative networking hub, offering the perfect environment for freelancers, small businesses, and creative minds.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this October, LCB Depot is part of a council-owned initiative – which includes Makers Yard and Phoenix Square, and Pilot House in New Walk coming soon – aiming to foster creativity while maintaining affordability and community spirit. Gray’s public coffee shop on the ground floor and occupiers’ communal kitchens encourage chance meetings. With over 150 companies under its roof, the Depot is a cornerstone of Leicester’s creative economy.

SPACES THAT INSPIRE

Flexible spaces are ideal for everything from brainstorming sessions to company meetings. Magnet walls replace traditional whiteboards, allowing ideas to flow freely and visibly.

LAST FRIDAYS

The uplifting public courtyard, where buses once refuelled, hosts a street food night called Last Friday. It’s a mini festival with food vendors, live comedy, music acts, DJs, and pop-up shops – the latter inspired by an LCB employee’s passion project @GotEnoughBooks (Instagram) who coined the Depot’s retail movement. Last Fridays are open to the public and run from 5pm to 10pm on the last Friday of every month.

ART AND INNOVATION

Original white tiles and bamboo flooring pay homage to the building’s historical roots, while modern touches reflect its innovative spirit. The Depot also hosts exhibitions, with current displays showing LCB’s winners of the New Walk Open competition. The exhibition space is currently occupied by De Montfort University students.

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