Dynamic Magazine – issue 19

Women in charge

in the

place

Tax and divorce

REGULARS

Spotlight

All change

Alison Jones of Kreston Reeves looks back at past crises to point out that there is always a rainbow after a storm

Klerk

The Menopause

of a stay in Baden

Maarten Hoffmann maarten@platinummediagroup.co.uk

Tess de Klerk tess@platinummediagroup.co.uk

DIRECTOR:

what

mentor can do for

a cautionary tale about

the right mentor, to even

whether you need one

Alcock lesley@platinummediagroup.co.uk

Graves fiona@platinummediagroup.co.uk

Shakesby design@platinummediagroup.co.uk

Wares alan@platinummediagroup.co.uk

elcome to the brand-new design for Dynamic Magazinethe business magazine for women.

As the new Editor of Dynamic, I am excited to bring a fresh new look to the magazine and to present some new features – subjects that I think resonate with women, or subjects that are very well covered but possibly leave one confused with so much, often contrary, information.

It should be pointed out that the largest growing market sector is women; women leading on the boards of many companies, women rising to the top in SMEs and women starting their own businesses. It is a huge demographic that is getting bigger by the day and we can all be very excited and motivated by this fact. We are gaining equality – inch by inch.

Having said that, there are still far too many areas where there is a marked absence of equality – pay, hours worked and the huge mountain of responsibility that often sits on our shoulders. For example, during lockdown, figures show that over 75% of the burden fell on us – childcare, cleaning, cooking, home-schooling, care of aged parents etc.

Dynamic will cover these subjects and many more. If we don’t cover something you would like to see, get in touch and let me know on the email address below.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the new Dynamic, and I look forward to hearing from you. Our future is bright.

FEMALE SOLICITORS SURGE

The legal profession, often dismissed as ‘fat cats in pinstripes’, is seeing a rapid change in gender as women are joining the profession at three times the rate of men. The latest figures from the Law Society show that in July 2022, there were 153,282 solicitors practising in England and Wales, a 2% rise over the previous year. The figures highlight the increasing feminisation of the profession. The research shows that women account for 53% of the practising solicitors. Stephanie Boyce, president of the society, welcomed the increase saying, “For a long time the solicitor profession was male dominated, but in just 100 years, women have shown how much they have to offer the sector.”

ALL THE LATEST BULLETINS FROM THE WORLD OF BUSINESS

NEW DICTIONARY

A leading Italian dictionary is to publish the feminine forms of nouns and adjectives for the first time as it tackles the sexual bias embedded in the Italian language. In a first for Italian dictionaries, the 2022 edition of the Treccani dictionary will not only add the feminine forms of words but will list them before the masculine form if they come first alphabetically. “We are giving back words a truth and reality denied, cancelled for centuries,” said Professor Patota, an expert in linguistics at the University of Siena.

THE SLOW ABORTION CREEP

In a slow creep of abortion law changes that started in the US, with the total ban and criminalisation of all abortions in many states, Hungary has passed a law requiring women to listen to the heartbeat of their foetus before requesting an abortion. Women must also complete a counselling session before they can have an abortion. However, many women are complaining that these counselling sessions have become more confrontational and much harder to arrange.

Daphne

SURPRISE

Women who start their own businesses aren’t doing it for just more flexibility. This might sound obvious, considering that launching a company means longs hours, tons of pressure, and financial risk—but now there’s proof. A new survey by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) found that the top motivator for female entrepreneurs is doing something they’re passionate about—and markedly not work-life balance.

In fact, when more than 300 female business owners were asked to rank different factors in their decision to start their own companies, ‘having flexibility to care for your family’ came in next to last. Passion, being your own boss, and the potential for higher pay were all bigger motivators.

Darla Beggs, national board chair of NAWBO, said many respondents felt that, “the time has never been better” for women to go out on their own. While the number of women who said they started a business because they had always seen themselves as an entrepreneur dropped 12% from last year. Slightly more women said that it was a smart business idea that prompted them to branch out. And the shift seems to be paying off – 30% of female entrepreneurs have children.

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD

The sponsor of a charity raffle at a girls’ softball league in Texas (of course) is generously offering prizes to the winners. Several parents complained after discovering that the first and second prizes were an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a Glock pistol, four months after a mass shooting at a school in Texas. Words fail me.

Anne Frank

DIVORCE CONCIERGE

For £250 per hour, Lottie Leefe will help female clients who are divorcing with anything from disposing of jewellery to reorganising financial trusts. Whilst laying in her hospital bed suffering from a torn dura in the base of her skull, Lottie came up with the idea of a ‘divorce concierge’ to help with the trauma of a divorce. Having a background in financial services at wealth management companies such as St James’s Place and Cazenove, she then set up a family division, which managed the finances of women who found themselves on their own due to divorce or bereavement. After a lightbulb moment, the Dura Society was born (‘dura’ meaning tough in Latin) aimed purely at women to aid in their financial planning.

LIKE MEN, ONLY CHEAPER

Are you sitting down right now? Maybe sit down. Is there something on your desk you can squeeze to release the wave of total anger and frustration that’s about to hit you?

Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports that, at a tech start-up conference in Sydney, Evan Thornley, the cofounder of an online advertising company in Australia, gave a presentation about the benefits of hiring women, saying women are “often relatively cheap compared to what we would’ve had to pay someone less good of a different gender.”

He then reportedly pulled up a slide that read, “Women: Like men, only cheaper.”

If comments like Thornley’s make you feel like this, you’re not alone. Thornley’s talk didn’t start off so badly; he mentioned how his company, LookSmart, has had women in senior management since the start-up went public in 1999 and the gender gap in tech was the size of the Grand Canyon. But then, Thornley served two years in Parliament and allegedly has an estimated net worth of $54 million.

Every Friday, I like to high fi ve myself for getting through another week on little more than caffeine, willpower, and inappropriate humour

Nanea Hoffman

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world

JUST PLAIN NUTS

Recently, an airline asked two Indianorigin siblings with severe nut allergies, to “sit in the loo” while the cashews were being served on the flight, writes the India Times. Shannen Sahota, 24, and Sundeep Sahota, 33, said they informed Emirates Airlines three times when booking, checking-in and upon boarding about their allergies. But 40 minutes into the flight from Birmingham Airport to Dubai, the cabin crew started serving fried nuts, leaving them “panic-stricken”.

However, when they scanned the flight menu they found that it contained cashew nuts. Just before the meal service began they were asked to shift to a toilet with cushions and pillows to avoid discomfort owing to their allergy. Furious over the suggestion, the two spent the next seven hours of the flight sitting at the back of the plane with blankets covering their faces.

Nigel’s from across the world have gathered at a Worcestershire pub to celebrate their shared ‘Nigel-ness’. Pub landlord Nigel Smith, who runs the Fleece Inn, has made it his life goal to boost the popularity of his name. In doing so, he’s created the dedicated ‘Nige-fest’ which attracts hundreds to toast to all things Nigel. Mr Smith came up with the idea after realising his name had become officially extinct according to new birth records in 2016 and 2020. Janice day coming up l guess!

TRUTH CAN BE STRANGER THAN FICTION

PLASTERED CAT

A woman was in for a shock when she returned home to find her builder had plastered her cat into the bathroom wall.

Ashlin Hadden, who had been away on a business trip, was left wondering where the muffled meows were coming from, only to discover that they were coming from behind the wall. It turns out Stripes had been stuck in there for three days.

Ashlin managed to track down the sound but ended up punching a hole in the wall before being reunited with her beloved pet who, she assured her followers, is doing fine.

COTTON CALORIES

A vet was stunned after a poorly dog’s X-ray reveals what was making him sick. When 13-year-old border collie, Jip mysteriously started to choke late at night, his owner feared the worst and rushed him to the vets – where medics were stunned to find out he had actually swallowed a pair of socks.

WOMEN CAVE

A British mum-of-two is on a mission to build the “most luxurious cave imaginable”, complete with chandeliers, a sauna and a gym - by digging a hole for a home all by herself in the sweltering Australian desert. Jennifer Ayres, 50, a water engineer from Darlington, Durham, is building the 2,400 square metre recess in the town of Coober Pedy - which is a ninehour drive from her family!

HEART ATTACK PENDING

A Dad ordered the UK’s ‘biggest’ bacon roll from Greggs – with 51 rashers. The man ordered the 2,920 calorie butty from Greggs after hankering for a big breakfast, and the 51 bacon rashers did not disappoint – as he urged staff to pile on more meat.

He didn’t manage to finish is and said, “It’s finished me – l think l might take a break from bacon”.

EX-BOYFRIEND?

Benjamin Disraeli

TROUSER SNAKE

A New York City man was charged with smuggling three Burmese pythons in his trousers at a U.S-Canadian border crossing.

Calvin Bautista, 36, is accused of bringing the hidden snakes on a bus that crossed into northern New York state on July 15th, 2018. Importation of Burmese pythons is regulated by an international treaty and by federal regulations listing them as “injurious to human beings.”

The charge carries the potential for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine as high as $250,000, according to federal prosecutors.

Given that a Burmese python’s main line of attack is constriction, Calvin is… well, it doesn’t bear thinking about.

Adrienne Rich

A woman has been left outraged after her boyfriend decided to treat himself to a business class seat on an upcoming plane journey – and he left her sitting in economy. The woman said she and her partner were going on their first holiday together since they started dating seven months ago, and they had planned to split hotel costs 50/50, but had agreed to pay for their own flights. But when she asked her boyfriend about his plane seat, he said he had given himself an upgrade – and told her they could meet up once the plane landed. Now an ex-boyfriend methinks!

❛ ❛You can tell the strength of a nation by the women behind its men

❛The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet

ANA BRNABIC 47, Serbia

In a country known for its machonationalism, Brnabic is the first openly gay person to be Prime Minister. She continues to be hawkish over Kosovo and Bosnia.

INGRIDA SIMONYTE 47, Lithuania

Also on the front line against Russia, Simonyte began her career as an economist and civil servant.

KAJA KALLAS 45, Estonia

Kallas is on the front line of Nato’s eastern shelf against Putin. Estonia has delivered proportionally more military equipment to Ukraine than any other country.

LIZ TRUSS 47, UK

She was elected in September 2022 and is the UK’s third female Prime Minister. Critics say she is trying to emulate Thatcher, cribbing from her playbook of hardline Conservatism. She ruled for 44 days, the shortest in UK history.

WOMEN IN CHARGE

Women are stepping up and taking charge across Europe, a political club that wields real power following the trail blazed by Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel. Who’s in the club?

MAGDALENA ANDERSSON 55, Sweden

Andersson led Sweden’s move to counter Russia by dropping its neutrality to join Nato this year. Her days in the top job are numbered as she leads a caretaker government after losing an election to a rightwing bloc recently.

SANNA MARIN 36, Finland

Marin is taking her previously neutral country into Nato after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She is the world’s youngest sitting Prime Minister.

METTE FREDERIKSEN 44, Denmark

Frederiksen was praised for her leadership during the Covid pandemic, when Denmark had the lowest death rate in the EU.

KATRIN JAKOBSDOTTIR 46, Iceland

Despite her personal opposition to Nato, the Left-Green leader has kept her country in the alliance. She is the country’s second female PM.

NATALIA GAVRILITA 45, Moldova

Moldova is the only country in the world to have both a female Prime Minister and president. Gavrilita is the third woman to head her country’s government.

+Neurodiversity refers to variations in the human brain and cognition, for instance in sociability, learning, attention and other mental functions. It was coined in 1998 by sociologist Judy Singer, who helped popularise the concept along with journalist Harvey Blume, and situates human cognitive variation in the context of biodiversity and the politics of minority groups.

Many businesses are not making use of neurodivergent employees, concentrating on the problems involved rather that the power that can be harnessed. Adjustments can be minor whereby the benefits can be huge. By GEMMA NORTH

Neurodivergent women and work – unleash the power

Awareness about neurodivergence in women is growing with increasing numbers receiving diagnoses in adulthood. The notion of ‘Neurodiversity’ celebrates the strengths of neurologically different people instead of focusing on their perceived weaknesses. Creativity, bigger picture thinking and a greater appreciation of difference are some of the ways in which neurodivergent employees can bring value to the workplace. As Richard Branson said, ”People on the autistic spectrum are often overlooked for jobs that they might be brilliant at. It’s a staggering statistic that 85% of autistic adults are unemployed or underemployed. Th is has to change.”

However, ‘disordered’, ‘dysfunctional’ and ‘deficient’ are all words commonly associated with neurodivergent people despite more public figures than ever before showing up, sharing and embracing their neurodivergent selves. The term ‘neurodiversity was fi rst coined by Judy Singer as including people with traits including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and Tourette’s syndrome. She said it best when saying, “Neurodiversity is really just a new word for a very old idea – a fancy 21st century way of repeating the old adage, ‘From each according to their ability; and to each according to their need.’”

Continued over >

NEURODIVERSITY

Unfortunately, at the point of knowing why they function differently to non-neurodivergent people, the ways in which neurodivergent women can be supported, particularly at work, are still inadequately understood. For example, workplaces often focus on attending to individual differences rather than making their spaces accessible to all.

Women already experience inequalities in career development opportunities and pay. The disability employment gap is largest for disabled women aged 45-49 years and 55-59 years*.

While the employment gap is smallest between disabled and non-disabled people aged 16-19 years, both groups are least likely to be employed at this age. Research by the UK’s National Autistic Society (NAS) shows that the figures for the employment of autistic people in the UK are still very low. In a survey of 2,000 autistic adults, just 16% were in full-time work, despite 77% of people who were unemployed saying they wanted to work*. Autistic women could be described as experiencing ‘double-glazed’ barriers at work.

UNDERSTANDING

Employers are required under the Equality Act 2010 to provide ‘reasonable adjustments’ so that neurodivergent people have as fair a chance as non-neurodivergent people to access and sustain employment. However, barriers are often less easy to see as they may be embedded in cultural assumptions about how people should behave. Employers are often unaware of some the social rules that prevent neurodivergent women from getting on in their chosen careers.

Extra tasks that involve adapting to social norms like making prolonged eye contact can often feel unnatural and exhausting. The nature of this additional ‘emotional labour’ autistic women take on in order to fit in at work is not often acknowledged or recognised.

An autistic woman, Farah, who was interviewed for a recent research project said she was regarded as “obviously untrustworthy” by her managers for not making eye contact. Farrah was sent on a training programme to improve her interpersonal skills whilst men performing the same work with similar communication styles in her workplace were not. Farah was pressured to adopt more gender-appropriate behaviour, rather than simply having her difference in communication style recognised and accepted.

MAKING PROGRESS

Support that is both targeted and wide-reaching for neurodivergent women at work must be a priority. On an individual basis, they may be supported through coaching or mentoring in the workplace that enables them to understand their needs and communicate them effectively to employers.

Employers and managers have a responsibility to attend training sessions and share information about neurodiversity in the workplace that increases awareness and promotes meaningful inclusivity. It is important to remember that not all neurodivergent people may disclose their differences at work. They may choose to ‘mask’ or ‘camoufl age’. They may not even be aware of why they are struggling to carry out their tasks; why it feels uncomfortable and tiring for example.

On a wider level, employers can promote healthy workplace cultures by improving access for disabled people to hybrid workspaces. Research following the pandemic indicates that workplace flexibility can be particularly beneficial in enabling people to control their working environment more effectively. 70% of disabled workers said that if their employer did not allow them to work remotely, it would negatively impact their physical or mental health**.

An appreciation of the skills and expertise employees bring rather than over preoccupation with preferred communication styles is one small change. Employers who take a strengths-based approach to employment practices may reap the benefits. Career outcomes and employment opportunities for neurodivergent women can be improved through increasing awareness of their strengths, promotion of inclusive workplaces cultures and provision of accessible working environments.

* O ce for National Statistics (ONS) 2021) ** e Work Foundation, 2022

People on the autistic spectrum are often overlooked for jobs that they might be brilliant at. It’s a staggering statistic that 85% of autistic adults are unemployed or under-employed. This has to change.

Sir Richard Branson

Gemma North is a researcher and consultant from North Consultancy with expertise in neurodiversity, mental health and wellbeing.

Making adjustments and supporting disabled people at work makes the whole workforce feel welcome and engaged

Dr Nancy Doyle Founder and chief research officer of Genius Within CIC

Time to split: Talking about tax around a divorce

Splitting

up with your spouse or civil partner is one of the most difficult events you can face, and is certainly not a time when you’d welcome interfer ence from other parties – least of all, the taxman. Unfortunately, though, there are significant tax implications to splitting your assets, as everything must be divided in the right way.

But this is no bad thing. Divorce can be a particularly bumpy road for women – with divorced women’s median pension wealth at re tirement just 25% of that of their male counterparts1 – so being tax savvy is essential in making sure you get what’s due to you.

Here are four things to think about:

PENSIONS

Pensions are often overlooked, but they can be one of your most valuable as sets. There are three ways pensions can be split: earmarking, offsetting against other assets, or sharing. The latter means the pension is split between the spouses or civil partners into two pots – so each person runs their pension the way they want to and aren’t relying on their ex-partner to do things the right way.

CAPITAL GAINS TAX (CGT)

Currently, spouses splitting chargeable assets have up to 12 months to complete the transfer from the point at which they ceased living together – not from the point that the divorce is granted – to avoid Capital Gains Tax. However, from April 6th 2023, these rules are chang ing – the ‘no gain, no loss’ window is set to be extended, giving separating spouses and civil partners up to three years to make the dispos als they need to from the point at which they separate.

PRIVATE RESIDENCE RELIEF

There’s an additional change that allows any spouse or civil partner who retains an interest in the couple’s former matrimonial home to have the option to claim Private Residence Relief when it’s sold. The spouse or civil partner who transferred their interest in the marital home to their ex will also be able to apply the same tax treatment to any proceeds they’re entitled to receive from the eventual sale.

SAMANTHA KAYE from Wellesley discusses why it’s important to consider the tax implications when dividing your assets upon divorce

Getting the best advice you can – both legal and financial –will help you ensure that all aspects of the divorce settlement are covered

SPOUSAL MAINTENANCE AND CHILD BENEFIT

If you’re paying maintenance to your former spouse or civil partner, it’s possible to claim tax relief against this, which will help to reduce your tax bill. What’s more, if you split from a higher-earning spouse or civil partner, you may be able to claim child benefit. Your fi nancial adviser can talk you through all the options available to you.

Getting the best advice you can – both legal and fi nancial – will help you ensure that all aspects of the divorce settlement are covered, for that all-important peace of mind as you plan for a secure future.

If you have any questions about divorce or pensions planning, please contact me today.

Sources:

1 NOW: Pensions, 2020

2 Chartered Insurance Institute, 2019

Samantha Kaye

Chartered Adviser, Wellesley E: samantha.kaye@sjpp.co.uk www.wellesleywa.co.uk

The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time. The value of any tax relief depends on individual circumstances.

St. James’s Place guarantees the suitability of advice offered by Wellesley when recommending any of the services and products available from companies in the Group. More details of the Guarantee are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products

Wellesley is a trading name of Wellesley Investment Management Ltd. The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/about-st-james-place/our-business/ our-products-andservices. The ‘St. James’s Place partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Wellesley Investment Management Ltd: Registered Office: 44 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, TN2 5TN. Registered in England & Wales, Company No. 06530147.

Nearly three quarters of divorcing couples fail to consider their legal right to share pensions

In our brand new Spotlight feature, we highlight women who are doing good things in their community. They’re not always seen but we think they should be.

SP OTLIGH T

Louise Poffley

Dynamic chats with Louise Poffley, founder and CEO of the charity Project Eileen, to hear what it does and what motivated her to start this fantastic organisation. Here she is in her own words…

“At school in the 1970s, when my close friend was orphaned, I realised I hadn’t got a clue what to say or do to support her. Around the same time, a girl in the year below me died suddenly from a brain haemorrhage. The next morning, we received just a brief announcement in assembly. Years later, when my father died, it was apparent many people still didn’t know what to say or do, and I felt compelled to do something to change the status quo.

“The charity, Project Eileen, is the result of my drive and determination to achieve a vision of developing a way to proactively help young people cope with bereavement,

death and grief by giving them the tools and life skills to help themselves and others. Its multimedia programme of lessons took shape.

“With a multifarious career background, including a spell as a funeral arranger, I believed my writing would be the best starting point upon which the programme could be built. I spent 2017 writing and rewriting Eileen, a fictional but true-to-life story about a bunch of teenagers who have to cope with the death of their friend.

The story almost has a story of its own. Sir Tony Robinson narrated it, Nina Pfeifenberger animated it, the programme’s lessons reference it, it’s the springboard for class discussion, and students can even develop their own improvisations from it.

“I believe collaboration is key to success. Never shy of approaching someone I’d like to involve, and needing music, I leapt onto the stage at the end of a concert to fi nd out who’d written the ska songs. That led to a great working partnership with the composer, Alex D Hay, who wrote the music to accompany my lyrics.

“Yet, none of this would have happened without former teacher, Annabelle Shaw. Following her experience of bereavement, she felt as strongly as I did that something had to be done, and leapt at the opportunity to establish the charity and devise the lessons.

“Commended for my enormous enthusiasm, I sometimes worry I talk nonstop about Project Eileen. Fortunately for me, I have very patient friends and family.”

Project Eileen CIO, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton BN1 3XG  E: info@projecteileen.co.uk T: 01273 894757 www.projecteileen.co.uk

Project Eileen is the result of my drive and determination to achieve a vision of developing a way to proactively help young people cope with bereavement

Left to right: Louise Poffley, Patron, Andrew Barton and Annabelle Shaw, Programme Director

Hannah Blackwell

Dynamic caught up with the lauded, up-andcoming chef, Hannah Blackwell. She used to be in the kitchen at Etch in Brighton and is now doing a work placement at The Fat Duck in Bray

Congratulations on securing a work placement at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck. That’s no easy feat! Who has helped you on your way and perhaps inspired you as well?

“I wouldn’t be where I am right now if it wasn’t for a lot of people. One of them is Matt Tilt who was the head chef and owner of the fi rst restaurant I ever worked in. He taught me a lot of skills and pushed me to try new things. George Boarer and Steven Edwards at Etch also mentored me and made me more confident in myself. Another inspiration is Clare Smyth. She is a very good role model for young female chefs like me.”

Female chefs do seem far and few between.

Do you feel that there is bias in the industry?

“It has always been heavily populated by men and you notice that massively when you step into a kitchen and you are the only woman to about seven men. Sadly, I don’t think this will ever change. Saying this, every work environment I have been in personally has been incredible and I have been welcomed with open arms, which is why I love the job and have continued to do it.”

Do you think that women are perhaps less interested in the job? Why?

“I think the main reason is the long hours because either women have children or want a job that is more flexible. You see women more in café/ bakeries because it allows them to have evenings off and socialise more. Another reason could be because of the pay. After hours of stress, hard work and dedication you put in, the pay packet doesn’t necessarily represent that for most people.”

What are your three favourite dishes that you cook at home?

“My favourite dish savoury-wise is fish pie, just because this is something I would always make with my dad when I was younger. For sweet I would choose a meringue roulade as this was something Mum and I would make for dinner parties or celebrations. My other choice would be a double chocolate brownie. Who doesn’t love a bit of chocolate as a treat every now and again?”

Any advice for aspiring female chefs?

“My advice is enjoy it! Just go for it and aim as high as possible. You won’t regret it. My recipe for being around a lot of male chefs is to add an extra bit of sass. It shows that you mean business and that you won’t be walked over - but in a polite and jokey way.”

In 2017, community-owned Lewes FC caught the headlines by becoming the world’s first football club to pay the men’s and women’s playing staff equal salaries.

Maggie Murphy, CEO of Lewes FC tells Dynamic about her journey to the top of the club she has come to admire.

HEAD OF THE PACK

I never meant to be the CEO of a football club.

To this day, I don’t think I would be here if, as a girl, and later as a young woman, it was as easy for me to play the most popular game in the world as it was for my brothers.

I’m only here because I got angry.

No matter how hard I try, when I look back on the brilliant memories I have from playing, I can’t help but feel a sense of loss or frustration.

At fi rst there were no girls’ teams. Then when there was a team, it had terrible coaches, hand-me-down kit and muddy bogs for pitches. We had to travel so much further. Our parents had to pay so much more.

Boys would line the pitch laughing or catcalling. Our games were cancelled so the guys could use our pitch and let theirs rest. Our referees didn’t know the rules. Our universities didn’t pay for a coach so we had to train the team between us.

“WOMEN ARE SUCH AN AFTERTHOUGHT”

My career in global advocacy, tackling corruption and promoting human rights took me overseas. I worked for organisations lobbying the UN and G20 to adopt better laws.

When the latest in a series of FIFA corruption scandals hit – almost ten years ago – I was tired, angry, frustrated, but now knew a lot more about good governance. Budget lines were being stolen for votes to hold prestigious tournaments and yet there was nothing for women’s football.

Wherever I looked, the people in decision-making roles seemed to care very little about growing the game, encouraging participation, debate and discussion or creating inclusive environments. Women were an afterthought – and they were never in these roles. I was getting angry.

I found I wasn’t alone. In all my travels I had picked up quite an international group of friends and colleagues. Th rough a chance meeting I found myself involved with a crew of like-minded women from more than 20 countries;

Mexico to Canada to Tanzania to France to Saudi Arabia to Nepal. From elite players who had played in World Cups to grassroots players in Nepal or Mexico. All were asking the same questions.

We decided to do something that would demand respect that we could use as a rallying call and that nobody could take away from us.

And so together, over six days, we climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, in the ice, and rock and ash. There were some days and nights where it was difficult to breathe, and we all had that fear that we wouldn’t make it. Because we weren’t there just to climb a mountain.

At the end of the fi nal night of climbing, we laid a full-size pitch, put up our FIFA regulation goalposts, and set about a 90-minute match, barely able to breathe, barely able to run.

When the fi nal whistle went, we were Guinness World Record holders.

HEADING DOWN THE PAN

About a month after climbing down the mountain I saw an announcement on Twitter from a small community club that I couldn’t place on a map.

Th is small club was a tiny part of the problem but seeking to be a big part of the solution. They announced that they were bringing in pay parity for the men’s and women’s teams and had become the fi rst club in the world to do so.

I immediately clicked three times and became an owner – it was 100% fan-owned and only costs £50. Aside from getting to own a football club, I fi nally felt like there was a football club out there that cared for and valued me, and if I showed up one day, might even greet me with a smile and make me feel welcome.

My path started to cross with those of Lewes FC, and in 2019 I was asked to consider coming on board as the

I don’t think we will stop climate change or end people trafficking unless there are angry people trying to make it happen

General Manager. Football had always been just a side story for me but I was now being asked to put this front and centre.

Th is club was special.

Lewes FC is trying to take all the bad things that people hate about football and turn them around. I don’t blame you if you don’t like football. A lot of the time there’s lots to dislike about it.

But now I was being asked to put my money where my mouth was.

Is it possible to create a transparent, accountable, equitable football club that listens to and serves its local community and global community of supporters? Is it possible to reconnect football with purpose and social impact? Is it possible to create a football club dedicated to results on and off the pitch?

LEWES FC – CHANGING THE WORLD

It was a challenge too great to turn down. We’re Lewes FC, an exceptional club trying to change the world.

Football is more than a game. It’s about our social fabric. And how we relate to each other. And if women are not part of that conversation, then we are being sidelined from society as a whole.

And I don’t want to be on the sidelines.

So yes, I’m a CEO because I got angry. And I’ve learned it’s OK to get angry. In fact, I don’t think we will stop climate change or end people trafficking unless there are angry people trying to make it happen. You just need to use that anger in a really smart way – and fi nd some allies and teammates to work with you.

I’ve now found these allies and teammates, and we are dedicated to the best possible type of football club, on and off the pitch. We hope you join us.

Lewes FC is a community-owned football club.

To purchase your shares, go to www.lewesfc.com/owners

For match tickets, go to www.tickettailor.com/events/lewesfootballclub2/ Lewes FC, The Dripping Pan, Mountfield Road, Lewes. BN7 2XA

I’m only here because I got angry

The menopause

One thing we know for certain about the phases of menopause is that the experience varies widely from individual to individual

it odd that so many female references are a derivation of men - feMALE, woM AN, MENopause, whereby none of these subjects have any relation to men. I see from the news section this month that the Italians are changing their entire dictionary to finally publish the feminine forms of nouns and adjectives due to the bias embedded in their lan guage - and ours! Anyway, l digress.

Ifind

The menopause is a subject that we will all have to deal with at some point whether we like it or not. The menopause is a perfectly natural part of a woman’s life and occurs when your pe riods stop due to the decreasing hormone levels in your body and this is usually between 45 and 50 years but that is a vast generalisation. The pe rimenopause is where you might have symptoms before your period have actually stopped.

Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can have a big impact on your daily life, in cluding relationships, social life, family life and work. It can feel different for everyone. You may have a number of symptoms or none. Symptoms usually start months or years before your periods stop. This is called the perimenopause.

The first sign of the perimenopause is usually, but not always, a change in the normal pattern

of your periods, for example they become irreg ular and eventually you’ll stop having periods altogether.

Common mental health symptoms of men opause and perimenopause include changes to your mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem, problems with memory or con centration (brain fog). Physical symptoms can be hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, palpitations, headaches and migraines that are worse than usual, muscle aches and joint pains, changed body shape and weight gain, skin changes in cluding dry and itchy skin, reduced sex drive, vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

The point to make here is that we are all different. Some women suffer and some don’t even know it has happened. Some suffer all the symptoms and some just a few. The menopause is as different as we are as individuals.

To gain some perspective on this, we asked several leading business women about their ex perience and, as you will see, the response are as different as women can be.

Continued over >

Tess de Klerk

“I’m 40 years old and in all honesty, sim ply don’t want to hear about the meno pause! I’m not there yet and feel that I would prefer to not have to think about it until the time comes when I absolutely have to. Yes, I see the irony having de cided on, and edited, this article.

“Obviously I recognise that any inkling of a taboo around the subject must dissipate, that workplaces must accommo date and support women through it and that sharing experi ences and knowledge empowers us all… but still, I just don’t want to have to think about it – not yet.”

Fiona Shafer

In 2018, the MDHUB ran a peer group to explore ‘The Menopause and The Andropause’.

The latter being the less publicly ac knowledged diagnosis for men of a collection of symptoms, including hot flushes, loss of libido and depression, ex perienced by some middle-aged to older men and attributed to a decline in testosterone levels.

Sadly, often joked about as a ‘midlife crisis and a time to buy a Harley Davison’, it is a subject that we hope will one day have an equal acceptance and acknowledgement.

My menopause quite literally arrived like a massive tidal wave in the midst of the global pandemic. This made it even harder to pinpoint what was happening in and amongst the ridiculously long hours that we were all working to support businesses through the crisis. The combination of adrena line and exhaustion masked many symptoms.

After what I can only describe as clockwork history of menstruation with no spear throwing side effects at all, the good karma fairy passed the baton to the bad karma fairy in July 2019, and changed direction, heading into the depths of my body and brain.

14 months later, my body full of the alternative route of Ginseng, Red Clover and Black Cohosh, there was no let up from the night sweats, sleep deprivation (a deep sleep

So many women I’ve talked to see menopause as an ending. But I’ve discovered this is your moment to reinvent yourself after years of focusing on the needs of everyone else. It’s your opportunity to get clear about what matters to you and then to pursue that with all of your energy, time and talent

OPRAH WINFREY, CHAT SHOW HOST

formerly being my super power), sweat running down my back in meetings, glasses steaming up during ZOOM calls, irritability and feeling at times like I did when I was 15 with hormones running amok.

The defining moment came when the classic ‘brain fog‘ started to appear. As someone who has been blessed with an excellent memory and has to keep a huge amount of info stored in my brain, this was a terrifying moment at a very deep level and became the key moment that changed my approach to the menopause.

Thanks to the incredible support of four amazing women with whom I share a peer group as part of my own support and development , they all recommended HRT ( and gently suggested why had I taken so long to do so…).

It was a massive turning point.

Rosemary French OBE

“I think I am having a heart attack,” I spluttered to my male Business Development Director, while de scending in our work lift. It was late and we had been working hard on a key contract renewal.

I collapsed on our reception sofa panting for breath. Within minutes I was in our nearest A&E, but I was discharged later with no medical view on what had just happened. I was so spooked that I even paid a private heart consultant to check over my heart.

There then followed a ten-year period of repeated panic attacks in the oddest of plac es; no rhyme or reason, although the scariest were those when driving, or when I would jump up in the middle of night insisting that I was dying! My husband was brilliant at calming me down, but we put it all down to my stressful job.

I also had the most awful headaches which I did mention to my doctor. Extraordinarily, I was given an expensive brain scan and yet no mention was made of hormonal changes! I never had hot flushes, the only menopausal symptom that I had ever heard of.

It was hard pretending to my business colleagues, friends and family that all was well, while trying to suppress an approaching panic attack. I would make a quick exit to suffer alone in some private corner until it passed.

During all those years, I concluded that it was just one of those work stress related things I had to put up with. Frankly, I am embarrassed to say that it just never crossed my mind until the recent menopausal aware ness campaign started by Davina McCall. The Daily Telegraph featured celebrities’ stories and I realised that I was just like them!

I do feel bitter that I was not offered HRT. However, with my new learning, I was able to advise my younger sister-in-law that her panic attacks were menopausal, and she needed to get on HRT right away. She tells me that it has made a huge difference. I just wish I’d had that opportunity.

If you deal with it in a healthy fashion then I think you come out the other side a better person. I’ve got so much more energy now than I ever had in my early 50s before the menopause

JULIE WALTERS, ACTRESS

MENOPAUSE

Joanna Williams

I don’t want to upset anyone but l have to say l hardly noticed that the menopause was upon me.

The first signs occurred when l was 52. Of course, my periods stopped which was a delight to be honest and l did no tice that l was generally hotter at night than usual but once that stopped, l had no further symptoms then or since, and l am now 61.

I feel pretty awful saying this as l know some women suf fer dreadfully but l understand that HRT generally works very well and l would certainly have taken it had it of been needed. I read that women who have not had children tend to get the menopause earlier and might be prone to more dramatic symptoms but l am delighted Dynamic is tackling this subject as there seems to be ten contradictory answers to every question you ask and it can be very confusing.

The internet has certainly benefitted society in many ways but the downside is there are thousands of sites for every subject and with so many contradicting the last one, it can lead to mass confusion. Your doctor and anecdotal views from your friends is surely the best way to gain the information needed.

Alison Jones

It is so brilliant to see that the menopause is no longer a taboo word and there is now a better understanding of the issues fac ing almost half of the population. That said, I think there is a still a long way to go before there is a more balanced conversation.

Before you throw up your arms in dismay let me explain more.

At the moment, the majority of the conversation is about the wonders of HRT, and there is very little discussion or research into alternatives.

Unfortunately, not everyone is fortunate enough t o be able to take HRT. Those of us unlucky enough to have high blood pressure, heart problems, breast cancer or are at a higher risk of breast cancer, for example, are unable to take HRT.

Our options are very limited, and NHS guidelines suggest a change in lifestyle including eating well, exercising and staying cool at night! They also suggest stopping smoking and cutting out alcohol and caffeine.

All of which is of course sensible advice but I am not convinced that any of this really helps deal with the significant impact of the change in your hormone levels that the menopause creates. They also suggest taking anti-depressants but is the menopause depression?

There are a variety of herbal supplements available, all of which suggest that they will cure all symptoms, none of which in my experience made any difference. They are not supported by medical evidence and you do have to be extra careful as some of the ingredients can cause side effects if taken with other medicines.

So, just like our mothers and their mothers before them, sadly, we just have to grin and bear it. My advice would be to enlist the support of your family. For me, air conditioning was the only way to deal with the night sweats which I have had for more than 10 years now.

I see menopause as the start of the next fabulous phase of life as a woman. Now is a time to ‘tune in’ to our bodies and embrace this new chapter. If anything, I feel more myself and love my body more now, at 58 years old, than ever before KIM CATTRALL, ACTRESS

I’ve just come back from a holiday in Canada and what a time to have been away, writes ALISON JONES of Kreston Reeves

ALL CHANGE

Notonly did we have a new Prime Minister, (we now need another new one) but sadly we lost our Queen. Although the news was all over Canadian TV, being eight hours behind it did feel like we were spectators to all that was changing back at home with little opportunity to join in. Life at home seemed to have radically changed in a blink of an eye as Charles became our King.

And then, just over a week later, and as I write this piece, the markets have gone crazy in terms of the value of the pound against the dollar following the recent emergency budget and interest rates look to rise again. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as Black Wednesday on September 16th 1992.

You might not remember it but interest rates jumped from 10% at 10.30am then to 12% and 15% before returning to 10% the following day as the UK left the ERM (Exchange Rate Mechanism). Turbulent times indeed as the UK fell into a deep recession, many businesses failed and the housing market crashed. It is difficult to imagine now having spent so many years with interest rates at under 1%. Hopefully, by the time you read this, the markets will have steadied, but we might need to wait until the next announcement on interest rates in November for that.

And in this complicated picture is the current situation in Ukraine, following the Russian invasion. Th is has had a significant impact on the price of energy and basic food supplies resulting in the current cost of living crisis which is impacting all households and businesses.

However, history shows us that even after the bleakest of times, an economy does recover, businesses become profitable again and many new opportunities do arise.

Just think about the changes we’ve seen since 1992 and how they’ve shaped how we do business; the emergence of the internet and mobile phones having the greatest impact. And since the pandemic, Zoom and Teams have, in just two years, become everyday means of communication for us all. Real time data continues to provide better business insight thanks to online banking and accounting systems such as Xero, allowing for more confident and timely decision making.

There is always a rainbow after a storm and there will be better times ahead for us all. It’s not easy, it might not be the same type of business as it was before but it’s important that you stay calm.

So, what can you do? Firstly evaluate both your business and your personal budget and what you need to continue.

■ Talk to your accountant as not only can they provide you with a good sounding board to discuss issues, but they can also help you monitor your business and start raising fl ags when things appear to be going wrong, or indeed give you the good news when things improve

■ Increase your prices. One of my clients recently phoned all their clients and explained in detail why they needed to increase their prices by being transparent about the increase in the costs they were facing. As a result, they were able to increase their prices and only lost one customer

■ Don’t hide away. In a recession you shouldn’t stop marketing as you don’t want to be forgotten

■ Talk to your team. They will be worrying about how the cost of living rises and potential increase in mortgage rates are going to impact them, they may also be worrying about their jobs. In some instances redundancies may end up being your only option, but keeping in touch with your staff is key and they might have some good ideas on how you can improve your business

■ Keep talking to your suppliers, banks and HMRC. From my experience they are far more likely to be supportive and to help you if you are open and honest with them and less likely if you bury your head in the sand. Don’t be afraid of making new arrangements with them

My fi nal piece of advice is remember that you are not alone in this, and you don’t need to manage everything by yourself. It’s better to talk to your friends, family or business partners, as a problem shared always becomes a smaller problem once it has been voiced. There is a huge network of support available to you both from a business and personal point of view and don’t be afraid to use it.

So, in the same way that the UK recovered from the crash back in 1992, try to remain positive, we will recover again soon.

Alison Jones is a Partner at Kreston Reeves and can be contacted by email at alison.jones@krestonreeves.com or call 0330 124 1399. www.krestonreeves.com

The markets have gone crazy in terms of the value of the pound against the dollar following the recent emergency budget

this

is a bit like

nding a Yoda

There’s no doubt about it – leadership can be lonely! Being in business has many highs, and often just as many lows, especially if we feel that there is no one to turn to.

By DESIREE ANDERSON, Crest Coaching & HR

COACHING COULD BE A LIGHTSABER

Statisticsshow that remote leadership has accentuated feelings of isolation, akin to being adrift in the business galaxy. Additionally, you might also often expect yourself to know all the answers. These expectations of oneself may accentuate feelings of rising panic about what to do next, either strategically or operationally. You may have concerns about how to motivate your teams to be productive, committed, loyal etc.

There’s also a lot of emphasis right now on mental health – but there usually aren’t quick fi xes. We may struggle with balancing our own worries with the needs of others and the inevitable pressures that running a successful business in this global universe brings.

In truth, all sorts of issues can prevent us from being the great leader we aspire to be. Fear of success or failure, comparison with others, procrastination, perfectionism and people-pleasing can cruelly prevent us from shining our lightsaber.

It’s no wonder that, with all these issues to overcome, we are frequently perplexed.

In our attempt to solve our problems, we either tend to hide our feelings and pretend to know it all or reach out desperately to a coach or mentor for help. If any of the adverts are true, will they wave a magic wand and increase turnover? Will the incessant people issues cease? Will I fi nally be recognised as the leader I dream of being?

STOP! You are already good enough; you have amazing unique skills and abilities that are already a success.

Appointing someone as a coach/ mentor doesn’t make you a failure – nobody knows everything, including the coach. If we reach out to someone through a feeling of ‘lack’, things are bound to come unstuck. But if we recognise that a coach/mentor is someone who either has specific expertise that we need and can give us specific guidance (usually a mentor), or someone who can help with our development by challenging us and encouraging us to come up with the answers (usually a coach) - then we may be off to a good start.

Let’s pause for a minute to remember that many great leaders throughout business history have had coaches or mentors. We have Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk to name but a few (dare I sneak in that Luke Skywalker had Yoda). Great leaders and entrepreneurs have

shown us that they can elevate and develop faster by having a trusted person to guide them. And if we see what these leaders have achieved, then the whole aspect of coaching sounds like a no-brainer.

There are some vital prerequisites before embarking on this mission.

• A good coach/mentor should be in partnership with you but allow you to take centre stage. You may be hiring them to be your trusted confidante, to help you via a mastermind, a batch of coaching sessions or for a longer-term journey through stages of your business or career.

• There should always be a relationship of mutual respect and boundaries agreed upon between both parties from the offset. A contract setting out mutual roles, behaviour and responsibilities should be drawn up. Having this looked over by a solicitor is always a good idea.

• Your coach should be someone with values congruent to yours - a role model of sorts who leaves you feeling educated, inspired or sometimes a bit uncomfortable, but in a way that constructively develops and elevates you to do better next time.

Finding this great person is a bit like fi nding a Yoda in a haystack! To make it easier, you should be clear on what your end goals for coaching are, what your budget is, and what the going rate is for this service (tip: conduct a comparison analysis). You may fi nd an appropriate person from within your network, from previous clients or a coaching association.

Whether you are aspiring Jedi or you’re in charge of a fleet of star ships, Mentoring and Coaching is a great way to help guide you in reaching for the stars in the realm of your career! But before you go ahead with it I recommend that you take a look at yourself in the mirror and acknowledge the infi nite potential that already exists within you.

Desiree is a Level 7 Advanced Coach & Mentor, an International Bestselling Author, Mental Health First Aider and owner of Crest Coaching & HR. Contact her at info@crestcoachingandhr.com

Let’s pause for a minute to remember that many great leaders throughout business history have had coaches or mentors

MENTORING

Even if you have a technical skill or vision that could form the basis of a successful business, the whole ’how to run a business’ side of things can seem quite daunting. Not surprisingly, therefore, numerous mentors offer their business experience to new entrepreneurs.

By JAMES O’CONNELL

WHEN MENTORS TURN NASTY

At their best, mentors can be a phenomenally useful resource. Regrettably, I often get to see those who have gone over to the dark side and used their superior knowledge of business processes to grab a slice of a promising business before their clients outgrow them. Too often, I see 20-40% of a business given away in return for vague mentoring ‘promises’ with few tangible outcomes and invariably no measurable ones.

At worst, dark-side mentors demand a shareholders’ agreement containing technical or arcane legal points that slyly elevate them to equal control of somebody else’s business (but leaving the original founders to do all the work

and take all the risks). Clients are always shocked to fi nd themselves in an unwanted but unbreakable partnership with a mentor because of clever legal wording.

Mentors are often in a unique position of trust. Clients assume that their mentors act, if not in their best interests, at least fair and reasonably. Learning otherwise is a huge business lesson, but it comes at one hell of a price.

So, what do you do if you have a mentor demanding not only payment but a stake in your business?:

• Buyer beware! It may be a fantastic offer, or it may be the start of your business imploding.

• If you are already paying the mentor, then ask yourself what extra value will you get?

Too often, I see 20%40% of a business given away in return for vague mentoring ‘promises’ with few tangible outcomes

• Put a cash value on the shares demanded. If you would reject a cash offer from an investor at that price, then the mentor’s offer had better be something truly amazing.

• Make any shares conditional upon targets met.

• Don’t automatically throw in a directorship with the shareholding; they are separate things.

• Understand the total reward. Monthly payments and capital value of shares and dividends and director status and a say in your business?

• Watch out for a ‘land-grab’. Under the guise of ‘I just want to protect my shares,’ the greedy mentor may demand to be treated as an equal ‘partner’ with the same right of veto as the owners. Again, if someone offered to buy, say, 13% of your company, would you give them all the rights of influence, disclosure and veto over crucial aspects of your business as if they had 51%? If (hopefully!) not, why would you give it to a mentor?

• Make sure you can sack them if a director, and that you can buy back their shares (at fair value) if they are a shareholder.

There are many great mentors, and this article is not trying to dissuade you from using them. But equally, you may encounter a mentor who sees you as an exploitable opportunity. So make sure any deal makes hard commercial sense.

James O’Connell, Partner

E: joconnell@mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

T: 01273 223209

Mayo Wynne Baxter www.mayowynnebaxter.co.uk

Clients are always shocked to fi nd themselves in an unwanted but unbreakable partnership with a mentor because of clever legal wording

MENTORING

By ELLIOTT WISE, founder of Limitless Mentoring

BUSINESS MENTORS

Are they worth it andhow to fi nd the right one for you?

Iwill come straight out and confi rm my bias on this topic. I run a business skills mentoring programme called Limitless Mentoring, so if you couldn’t guess, I am pretty “pro mentoring”. However, I will say that while mentoring is worth it, not all mentors are. And this is a crucial distinction to make, but let’s start with why I believe mentoring is worth it.

While ‘mentoring’ seems to be undergoing a resurgence in recent years, the principle has been in practice forever. The passing of knowledge gathered through experience has been an incredible driving force for human progression.

Take ancient Greek philosophy as the perfect example. Socrates mentored Plato, who mentored Aristotle, who mentored Alexander the Great. Each refi ned, developed and furthered the work of the predecessors to create some of the most timeless, insightful knowledge that has remained relevant for over 2,000 years.

Th is example works so well because it perfectly explains the premise of mentoring (as opposed to teaching). Mentors guide an individual’s growth instead of lecturing them from a theoretical point of view. Each of the philosophers mentioned above had lifelong relationships with their mentors. They didn’t just attend a couple of talks at the local amphitheatre. They spent their lives learning from and growing alongside their mentors.

To bring it back to a business mentoring perspective, unless you are willing to commit a sizeable length of time to a mentor, don’t bother. A mentor should be there to help and guide you through your business life or a particular time in your business journey. So, if you think you’ll get all the wisdom and answers you need in four weeks – think again.

With the right mentor, you will get much further ahead, faster than if you muddled through by yourself. Sure, there are plenty of examples of ‘self-made’ business owners – but if you asked any of them if they wished they could have done it in half the time – they’d all say yes. It’s a no-brainer.

For this reason, mentors should have been there and done it, and can now use their business and life experience to help you navigate your own journey. As such, mentoring should be a deeply personal relationship between the mentor and

the mentee. A mentor should be able to understand and relate with their mentees life on a holistic level.

Th is is why the ‘group session’ model that many business ‘mentors’ apply frustrates me. How well can you truly understand your mentee’s needs, problems, hopes and aspirations to connect with them and help them grow if your only contact with them is in a group setting?

That is teaching, not mentoring – which, don’t get me wrong, has its place. But, when you’re trying to fi nd the right mentor, it should be something you think long and hard about. If you want business coaching or business lessons, group sessions will likely do you just fi ne. But if you want someone to take the time to understand you and your business completely, this can only be achieved at a one-onone level. If it’s not one-on-one, it’s not mentoring as far as I’m concerned.

When you’re looking for a mentor, I would recommend fi nding one that has the battle scars, and lived to tell the tale. I would always choose a mentor who had it all, lost it and got it all back rather than someone who has never experienced this sort of hardship.

No business journey is going to be without difficulty and having a mentor who has stood precisely where you are in that moment can be invaluable. A good mentor will even be able to give you an early warning signal and help you avoid making the same mistakes as them altogether.

So, in summary, I do believe that business mentors are worth it. They can help guide you through your business journey and avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that they made themselves. If you want to grow a business, it will become your life. So, when fi nding a mentor of your own, remember that real mentoring will be a deeply personal service that will guide you in life, not just business – because ultimately, both will go hand in hand.

Elliot Wise is a self-made serial entrepreneur, business growth expert and mentor. He is the founder of Limitless Mentoring –an entrepreneurial skills programme for aspiring business leaders.

Unless you are willing to commit a sizeable length of time to a mentor, don’t bother

When you’re looking for a mentor, I would recommend finding one that has the battle scars, and lived to tell the tale

Platinum was delighted to sponsor the Sussex Contemporary art exhibition and attend the private view on October 7th at the British Airways i360 in support of many of the highly talented artists we have the in the region

Sussex ContemporaryArt Exhibition

The Sussex Contemporary Open Call, or ‘The Sussex’ for short, is the fi rst major art exhibition to celebrate the rich creativity in the county which has a strong heritage of art. Over 400 artists registered their interest. Joanna Myles, artist and co-founder of The Sussex, who appeared on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2021, says “It can be difficult for new and emerging artists to fi nd ways to show their work. Sussex has such a vibrant art community, and we want to showcase this amazing talent.”

The exhibition of the selected work ran from October 8th to 22nd. The exhibition drew visitors from London and across the South East and was free to the public to visit. All the work will be available for sale. A percentage of each sale will be donated to Table Talk Foundation, a charity that supports food education and the hospitality sector in Sussex.

Over the two weeks there were also several additional fundraising events that combine art and culinary arts. www.thesussexcontemporary.co.uk

On the back of so many topics covered in this issue of Dynamic, here is some suggested reading if you wish to delve deeper into each subject

FURTHER READING…

How to spot the different forms of discrimination that might be happening in your workplace…

Human beings face a fundamental paradox. We are inherently social and wired to connect. Co-operating with each other is crucial for our survival. Yet we are also hardwired to spot and react to differences, and we do so without really being aware of it or how it informs our initial perceptions of each other. These are our unconscious biases at work.

Cognitive scientists have named several biases that frequently occur in all of us. For example, apparently the fi rst two things we generally notice when we meet someone new is their skin colour and gender.

DISCRIMINATION AT WORK

This edited book brings together in one volume a review of the scholarly work on discrimination based on race, age, sexual orientation, gender, physical appearance, disability, and personality. The focus is on prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination in the workplace.

Discrimination at Work: The Psychological and Organizational Bases edited by Robert L. Dipboye and Adrienne Colella (Psychology Press, 2013)

‘INSTINCTIVE’ VS ‘LEARNED’ BIASES

The way decisions are made, selective invitations to meetings, in-groups and out-groups, the same faces on high profi le projects are a sign that bias is at play in a system

TECHNIQUES FOR TACKLING RACISM

It is not a book of anti-racist theory but anti-racist tactics – tactics that anyone, of any race, can use to strike a blow against injustice. Anti-racism is not about what we feel but what we do, and there are specific techniques we can use to create a just world.

Tactics for Racial Justice: Building an Antiracist Organization and Community by Shannon Joyce Prince (Routledge, 2021)

Th is instinctive evolutionary bias is linked to our survival and whether or not we are in any danger. The brain is designed to keep us safe. However, we also have learned bias which we absorb throughout our lives from society, media, education, family, friends and so on. We have a tendency to discount or disregard information that disagrees with our assumptions, even if there are well-proven facts to the contrary and in spite of any risks associated with doing so. Th is is confi rmation bias, and one of the most challenging ones as it takes time and commitment to overturn.

In the workplace we need to be aware and mindful of both our instinctive and learned biases. Most people aren’t aware of their own biases. However, there are many clues which point to the existence of bias in the workplace. Bias can be experienced at an individual level; it can also be rooted in the wider systems in an organisation. Behaviours, processes and ways of working that lead to excluding others, stereotyping and discrimination.

The way decisions are made, selective invitations to meetings, in-groups and out-groups, the same faces on high profi le projects are a sign that bias is at play in a system. Other examples are where people are insistent on sticking to a plan regardless of the right outcome. Or where there is strong loyalty and conversation stuck in the past instead of moving to the future. Where ideas matter less than the person who is sharing and there is a resistance to changing rules and implementing new ways of doing things.

Intense hurry up cultures, overloaded and overwhelmed teams can lead to subtle destructive behaviour and triggering biased behaviour, especially if challenging this way of working would be construed as weak, underperformance and lacking in resilience.

Salma Shah is an Accredited Coach, the founder of coach training and leadership development platform Mastering Your Power.

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging in Coaching: A Practical Guide by Salma Shah (Kogan Page, 2022)

THE EFFECTS OF RACISM

The Trauma of Racism: Lessons from the Therapeutic Encounter is a pioneering reflection on the psychology of racism and its impact on us all. With the intimacy of personal experience and depth of analytic exposition, the authors expose racism’s searing effects on personal, clinical, and community interactions while providing pathways for change.

The Trauma of Racism: Lessons from the Therapeutic Encounter edited By Beverly J. Stoute, Michael Slevin (Routledge, 2022)

DAME HILARY MANTEL

Booker Prize-winning novelist passed away ‘suddenly yet peacefully’

The acclaimed author, celebrated for her Wolf Hall trilogy, has died at the age of 70. Hilary Mantel broke records as the fi rst woman to win the Booker Prize twice and the fi rst author to win with a sequel – ‘Bring Up the Bodies’.

In a statement Mantel’s publisher, 4th Estate Books, said: “We are heartbroken at the death of our beloved author, Dame Hilary Mantel, and our thoughts are with her friends and family, especially her husband, Gerald. Th is is a devastating loss and we can only be grateful she left us with such a magnificent body of work.”

Charlie Redmayne, the CEO of her publisher HarperCollins said: “Th is is terrible, tragic news and we are fi lled with sorrow for Hilary’s family and friends, especially her devoted husband Gerald.

“We are so proud that 4th Estate and HarperCollins were Hilary’s publisher, and for such a peerless body of work.

“A writer to the core, Hilary was one of the greatest of her generation – a serious, fearless novelist with huge empathy for her subjects. Who else could have brought Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII and the huge cast of The Wolf Hall Trilogy to life with such insight, frailty and humanity but her?

“We will all miss Hilary’s company, her wisdom, her humour, and treasure her incredible literary legacy – she will be read as long as people are still reading.”

This is a devastating loss and we can only be grateful she left us with such a magnificent body of work

TANYA BOROWSKI is a highly experienced nutritional therapist and functional medicine practitioner, specialising in hormones and women’s health. This includes PMS, heavy or painful menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, PCOS, menopause/ perimenopause and thyroid conditions. She is passionate about improving knowledge and awareness of the benefits of a whole-body integrated approach to perimenopause and menopause.

Can better gut health improve your menopause symptoms?

In this article, Tanya introduces us to looking after our gut health in aid of reducing symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause

O

ur overall health is hugely influenced by our gut microbiome, a collection of bacteria and their genetic material housed in the large bowel. The function of this microbiome relates to everything from energy production to immune system education and modulation.

Within the microbiome exists the estrobolome, consisting of approximately 60 types of bacteria and fungi, whose sole function is the regulation of our oestrogen levels. The estrobolome bacteria are somewhat superheroes with superpowers; they transform used oestrogens, taken from the large bowel, back into an active, usable form. Th is now active oestrogen can re-enter the bloodstream and subsequently act on oestrogen receptors.

Your estrobolome can only function properly if your overall microbiome is healthy, containing the right type and diversity of microorganisms. It is an ecosystem, and as

such needs an abundance of microorganisms. A comparison might be another ecosystem - the Great Barrier Reef - which is lush and full of different species working together to create a vibrant and energetic ecosystem. Similarly to the Great Barrier Reef, the microbiome ecosystem can also be disrupted. Unfortunately, numerous dietary and lifestyle factors can disrupt the gut microbiome, knocking microbes out of balance. Th is is termed dysbiosis.

As it pertains to our estrobolome, dysbiosis can result in an overabundance of this community, and beta-glucuronidase activity elevating circulating oestrogen levels excessively, which could contribute to heavier periods, painful cramps, PCOS, endometriosis or uterine fibroids. On the fl ip side, a low microbial diversity, estrobolome and beta-glucuronidase activity mean your estrobolome isn’t able to adequately convert our own oestrogen to its active form and also can’t convert and use those protective plantbased oestrogens.

Your microbiome is an ecosystem , and as such needs an abundance of microorganisms

OESTROGEN FROM PLANTS FOR MENOPAUSE

There are three major sex hormones that change during menopause: oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Progesterone and testosterone steadily decline from our early 40s. Oestrogen levels, however, are more erratic, peaking and troughing, causing symptoms of anxiety, irritability, anger, and hot flushes before they eventually decline.

Certain plant-based foods contain compounds called phytoestrogens, naturally-occuring plant compounds that are structurally very similar to our own hormones.

These compounds are found in a wide variety of foods and herbs that fall into three main categories of phytoestrogens:

• Isofl avones: Legumes (soya beans, kidney beans, lima beans, chickpeas, lentils) and soy products (such as milk, tofu, tempeh, miso)

• Lignans: Fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, especially linseeds

• Coumestans: Sprouting seeds like alfalfa and soybean sprouts

These ‘dietary oestrogens’, similar in structure to oestrogen, can impact the body by attaching to oestrogen receptors. The beauty of these compounds is they can either enhance the oestrogenic effect or slow it down. Th is is especially helpful for premenopausal and postmenopausal women compensating for the peaks and troughs of perimenopause. It is important to note that different people will react differently to phytoestrogens. Work with your healthcare practitioner to determine the best approach for you.

Tanya Borowski is a holistic health practitioner. E: admin@tanyaborowski.com

Numerous dietary and lifestyle factors can disrupt the gut microbiome, knocking microbes out of balance

The vast array of alternative therapies can be confusing. TESS DE KLERK demystifies some of the lesser-known methods currently being put into practice

Demystifying complementary and alternative therapies

BIOFEEDBACK THERAPY

The aim of biofeedback techniques is to allow people to control bodily processes that normally happen involuntarily.such as heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and skin temperature. Th is is in order to improve conditions exacerbated by stress including high blood pressure, headaches and chronic pain.

Patients work with a biofeedback therapist to learn relaxation techniques and mental exercises. In initial sessions, electrodes are attached to the skin to measure bodily states. Eventually the techniques can be practiced without a therapist or equipment.

Researchers still aren’t sure how or why biofeedback works, but a lot of research suggests it does.

BODYTALK

BodyTalk is essentially a practice of energy healing grounded in the belief that living organisms have the innate capability to heal themselves.

It is based on the premise that the body communicates via energetic circuitry, and that the chronic breakdown of communication and interaction within the ‘bodymind’ complex creates disease and disorder. Practitioners of BodyTalk strive to connect these broken lines and facilitate open communication between all of the elements of the body in order to promote healing from within.

During a session, patients lie fully-clothed and relaxed while the practitioner uses light pressing, tapping or lifting of the arm to diagnose and address areas of the body in need of balancing. The therapy is safe and non-invasive.

BodyTalk is a relatively new treatment and there is a scarcity of reliable published evidence regarding its efficiency. It is, however, a popular practice in Australia, New Zealand and Germany.

TRE

TENSION AND TRAUMA RELEASING EXERCISES

It is widely understood that humans store stress in their muscles. It is a natural reaction, and part of our ‘fight, fl ight or freeze’ instinct. The TRE programme works by focusing on deep muscle memory to release deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma. Th is therapy consists of learning a series of seven simple exercises that activates the body’s natural reflex mechanism of shaking and vibrating. The shaking releases muscular tension and calms the nervous system.

The technique was formulated by Dr David Berceli, who is highly respected in the international field of trauma intervention and confl ict resolution. Dr Berceli based this programme on his experience of working with people with PTSD during a career that involved delivering trauma relief workshops and recovery support in countries such as Israel/ Palestine, Uganda, Sudan, Kenya, Yemen and Lebanon.

TRE is an effective tool in managing stress, tension and trauma, both psychological and physical. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it is also helpful in managing other conditions, especially those connected to muscle health such as arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Th is practice can be learnt in a day, and is designed to be a self-help tool that, once learned, can be used independently as needed throughout one’s life, thereby continuously supporting and promoting personal health and wellness.

REIKI

Proponents say that Reiki works with the energy fields around the body and involves the transfer of universal energy from the practitioner’s palms to the client. It aims to help the flow of energy to remove blockages which are believed to cause dysfunction in mind and body.

In its simplest form, it is similar to what a parent might do to their child when they’re in pain; place a hand over the area to make it feel better. Reiki practitioners explain that an energy transfer has taken place. Similarly, one might place a hand on your own aching stomach.

The treatment can take place anywhere. Patients remain fully clothed while the practitioner places their hands lightly on or over specific areas of the body.

Some limited studies have drawn links between Reiki and a reduction in feelings of pain and anxiety but for the most part clinical research has not proven is effectiveness. Nonetheless, many people who receive Reiki claim to experience positive outcomes, particularly for pain relief, anxiety, depression and wound healing. Interestingly, over 800 hospitals in the United States currently offer Reiki services for patients.

GERSON THERAPY

Gerson Therapy is based on the belief that disease is caused by the accumulation of toxins as well as nutritional deficiency. Therefore, one attempts to treat disease by prescribing a restricted, predominantly vegetarian diet including hourly glasses of organic juice and various dietary supplements. In addition, patients receive enemas of coffee, castor oil and sometimes hydrogen peroxide or ozone.

It purports to be an effective treatment for various cancers, but there is no valid nor independent evidence in support of these claims. All major cancer support organisations advise against the use of Gerson as a treatment. It can be especially dangerous as the majority of Gerson practitioners strongly discourage patients from undergoing conventional cancer treatments.

TRE is an effective tool in managing stress, tension and trauma, both psychological and physical

Hove’s Float Spa is more health & wellbeing centre than spa. TESS DE KLERK & JASMIN JETCHEV decided to try them out

THE FLOAT SPA

The spa offers a wide variety of options to aid us in feeling good – yoga, infrared sauna and osteopathy to name but a few. Of course, the floatation pods are the main attraction.

The fi rst thing that struck me was the quiet calm. There were plenty of shoes on the shoe racks but the atmosphere was so zen that we could have mistaken ourselves for the only clients. Camille, the lovely owner, explained that the rooms are soundproofed as the floatation pods are all about sensory deprivation.

Sensory deprivation – the deliberate reduction or removal of stimuli – has been proven to aid in muscle recovery, reduce anxiety, pain and help with various stress-related conditions such as insomnia and hypertension.

The pods are fi lled with water and massive amounts of magnesium-based Epsom salts to create the same floating conditions as in the Dead Sea. Each pod is in its own room, and clients are asked to use the shower before entering the pod. The water is maintained at skin temperature which we found to be the ideal temperature and found the pods easy to use.

Once inside and lid closed there really was sensory deprivation - complete silence, absolutely no light (there is a light

switch as well as call button inside the pod if needed) and the sensation of floating. It took both of us some time to get used to this environment. We are all so used to constantly being ‘on’ and stimulated but we both got to a point of total relaxation within our hour session.

Camille suggests three sessions in order to really get used to the unusual environment; I can see the wisdom in that. I, for one, can see how during a second session I would fully relax faster.

We left the pods feeling very calm as well as rejuvenated. My back muscles most defi nitely felt happier than they had in some time and we know that magnesium is magic nectar for achy muscles.

Jasmin said it best, I think, “I feel as if I have woken from a nap but not the type that leaves you groggy; the kind that you wake up from feeling rested and rejuvenated.”

The Float Spa, 8 Th ird Avenue, Hove www.thefloatspa.co.uk T: 01273 933680

Once inside and lid closed there really was sensory deprivation –complete silence, absolutely no light and the sensation of floating

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HIGHLANDS

I was looking forward to our summer escape in Scotland. I had heard that the rain gets warmer in August, so off we set on our million-mile road trip staycation (yes, my publisher said Scotland is, at least for now, still considered a staycation)

BY TESS DE KLERK

After our long trek across country we found ourselves on a sinewy single-track road through the Scottish wilds, which eventually gave way to an oasis that felt like the end of the world. Loch Awe stretched into the distance.

We had arrived in brooding weather; it was drizzly – exactly as one might expect of the Scottish lochs. Ordinarily I would add ‘dreary’ to my drizzle but not this time. No, the weather was just so fittingly beautiful that I might have been disappointed had it been anything but soulfully doleful. Brooding hills and eagles soaring overhead - Scotland writ large.

ARDANAISEIG HOTEL

The windy path opened up for us weary travellers and there stood the gothic looking country pile that is Ardanaiseig, our accommodation for the night. It has been standing on the shores of Loch Awe since 1834, which is when the then-owner commissioned the leading architect of the time, William Burn, to build the house. It has changed ownership a few times since but it is now Grade II listed and has thankfully retained much character.

The current owner, London antique owner Bennie Gray, has fi lled it with an eclectic array of quirky antiques including a Victorian painting in the dining room... at fi rst it looks old-fashioned but look again! The mafia boss who procured it became bored with the dining scene therefore had it altered to suit his modern tastes, turning the previous dinner guests into Mick Jagger and other famous faces.

The 16 rooms at Ardanaiseig are all unique. We stayed in the Master Bedroom Loch View which was a bit dated but still lovely, with its antique four-poster bed and beautiful view across the gardens and loch. Rose Cottage, a self-catering cottage on the hotel’s grounds, is ideal for families or groups of friends as it accommodates up to four guests. Alternatively, you can choose complete privacy with the modern Boatshed, Ardanaiseig’s luxury honeymoon suite, situated on the banks of the Loch.

One can lounge in front of the roaring fi re, enjoy a whisky-tasting session or try a tinkle on the piano but do pull on a pair of the hotel supplied wellies too and explore the stunning woodlands and meadows. Trout fishing, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting and archery can also be arranged, or simply take your crumpets and croquet on Ardanaiseig’s sprawling lawns.

From £185 prpn inc breakfast www.ardanaiseig.com

Rannoch Train Station

Our departure from Ardanaiseig wasn’t without a touch of wistfulness but it soon dissipated as we weaved our way along the breathtaking roads of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park on our way to Ben Nevis. It’s the highest mountain in the UK, and was stunning, even though we didn’t manage to see the mountain peak as it was shrouded in a heavy cloud.

Why didn’t we hike up, you ask? I fully intended to until I read that the hike takes 6-8 hours. In hindsight, that makes sense, so do schedule a full day trip if you are planning to reach the mountain top. You cannot drive up there and the mountain won’t come to you or Mohammed.

LOCH RANNOCH HOTEL AND SPA

Th is hotel estate reminded me slightly of American holiday lake resorts in movies like Dirty Dancing. Its refurbishment in 2021 focussed on enhancing many of the traditional features and included reinstating the original fi replaces and pairing Victorian-inspired fittings with a modern twist throughout the hotel.

It worked well and we particularly enjoyed the Wild Brownie Bar with its outside terrace overlooking the loch. The only road around the loch is nearly part of the hotel complex, which felt a bit odd but hardly a car passed and it soon didn’t matter. Unfortunately, the swimming pool area was a letdown but I believe that modernising is in the plans.

What makes Loch Rannoch Hotel special is its location at the heart of the Central Highlands, a fantastic base to experience the Scottish Highlands with an abundance of scenery, wildlife, activities and sports. The hotel has its own marina and School of Adventure, offering kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding, wild swimming, bicycle hire, squash court, indoor climbing wall, guided hill walking and fly fishing as well as a fitness studio.

From £110 prpn inc breakfast www.lochrannochhotel.com

The ruins of Kilchurn castle on Loch Awe, the longest fresh water loch in Scotland

“The famous Harry Potter train station is just around the corner from the hotel” said the wee boy, so off we went in search of a photo that would impress the kids. We drove and we drove and we drove some more. The scenery was magnificent but there was not another human nor vehicle in sight for miles, and the road had long since turned into something more akin to a path.

We were defi nitely in the middle of nowhere, about to turn round when all of a sudden a sign read Rannoch Station! We got out. It wasn’t the Harry Potter station, and yet this tiny train station was abuzz with people!

I cannot stress enough how remote this little place was, so naturally we expected that all these people must be waiting on a train. I asked the very busy proprietor of the tea shop operating on the platform about the train schedule; three trains a week pass through she said, and one is due. That made sense, all these people must be waiting for the train. But the train arrived and not a single person boarded! Two girls got off the train and walked out of the station without meeting anyone.

The next train was due in two days, there were hardly any vehicles parked outside the station. The majority of people there were most defi nitely not in hiking gear, and no coaches pass here, I was informed. I half expected the soundtrack from X Files to start playing! I still ponder the tanned man with his LA drawl, the elderly lady with her cut glass English accent and high heels, the leather-clad lovebirds – all there for reasons unfathomable.

Next stop... Edinburgh. >>

Why didn’t we hike up Ben Nevis , you ask? I fully intended to until I read that the hike takes 6-8 hours…

TRAVEL

THE BONHAM HOTEL

The Bonham Hotel is swoon-worthy! My oh my, how lovely! It’s a true 5-star experience, set in a quiet leafy crescent in the exclusive West End of Edinburgh, only minutes from the main attractions of the Scottish capital. It is gorgeous with its original Victorian architectural features having been painstakingly restored, and an impressive art collection on display across the hotel.

It’s pure luxury here, with heavenly Hypnos mattresses and beautiful fabrics in airy rooms and suites. Many rooms offer stunning views either over Drumsheugh Gardens, or towards the Firth of Forth and the Kingdom of Fife.

Save time for a drink (or afternoon tea) in the sumptuously styled bar before heading to the elegant No 35 restaurant for dinner. Head Chef, Marco Drummond Nobrega offers a creative menu of European cuisine with Scottish twists. Breakfast is a fancy affair with a full Scottish breakfast as well as a continental spread.

I can only praise The Bonham for its service and staff whose passion for their hotel was unmistakable and knowledge of its fascinating history and splendid art collection was vast. I asked copious questions and was answered with delight. And no, they did not realise that I was reviewing! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and can fully recommend The Bonham for your next stay in the striking Scottish capital.

From £165 prpn inc breakfast https://thebonham.com/

And with that, my shamefully short whistle-stop tour of central Scotland - the wilds and the cities - came to an end, and it was time to head back. Everything I had heard about Scotland, from its romantic lochs, breathtaking scenery, amazing architecture and more besides were dazzlingly true. I will be back - and soon.

View from Calton Hill

Baden-Baden is a spa town so good, they named it twice – and so exceptional it was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside 10 other standout European spa towns

BATHING IN BADEN-BADEN’S DELIGHTS

Tucked away in Germany’s Black Forest, this ancient town was built atop nearly thirty natural springs known for their healing qualities. The main tree-lined promenade hugs the River Oos while Neoclassical and Belle Époque masterpieces rise up beyond the foliage.

Michelin-starred dining and high-rolling at the stately and storied Casino Baden-Baden can be followed by days of peacefully luxuriating in gorgeous famed spas and scenic walks through a historic town that has always been about unplugging and recharging.

WHERE TO STAY

Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa

Th is upmarket grande dame hotel is set in a leafy central spot - with a large to-die-for spa and Michellin-starred dining. From £351 prpn

Hotel Belle Epoque

Th is 19th-century villa is a belle époque beauty in its own right, set in gardens near Baden-Lichtentaler Baden’s Allee, a world-class festival hall, casino, and curative thermal baths. From £165 prpn

Villa Stephanie at Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa

The historic and luxurious Villa Stéphanie boasts expertise in health and wellbeing dating as far back as 1872. They are known for their comprehensive treatments and dedication to rejuvenation. From £351 prpn

Roomers Baden-Baden

Stylish, upmarket, professionally run and boasting friendly staff, this is arguably the German spa town’s top hotel. From £151 prpn

WINING & DINING

The region’s cuisine is considered some of the best in Germany, with fertile soils providing fresh ingredients. The Michelin Guide recommends 36 restaurants in BadenBaden. Here are some of our picks.

Le Jardin de France Im Sthalbad

Set in a beautiful building offering classic, gourmet French cuisine, a fantastic wine list and family-run hospitality.

Weinstube Baldreit

Th is lovely little wine bar may be a little out of the way but it is well worth seeking out, especially in the summer when the interior courtyard really comes into its own. The food is traditional, ranging from steak tartar to fl ammekueche and braised pig’s cheeks.

Wintergarten

In the tasteful winter garden of the grand Brenners hotel, you get a wonderful view of the spa gardens while you dine. Quality ingredients are used in their great choice of contemporary dishes.

Maltes Hidden Kitchen

Th is interesting kitchen is a coffee shop during the day, serving hot drinks and cake, while the evening sees a change to creative cuisine for dinner. The team skilfully pare things down to the essentials, making the ingredients the focus of the set menu. A pleasant, cosy little restaurant with a charm all of its own – dining here makes for a really fun experience!

HOW TO GET THERE

Return fl ights from Gatwick to Strasbourg from £222 Baden-Baden is a 1h journey by car or train from Strasbourg.

The region’s cuisine is considered some of the best in Germany, with fertile soils providing fresh ingredients

Having nagged Maarten to organise a very small car for me to review, mainly so I could check out the tall person in small city car scenario, this experience got off to an inauspicious start for both of us. Be careful what you wish for in life.

By Fiona Shafer – CEO of MD HUB

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FOB STORY

Pouring myself into the Fiat, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would spend the best part of an hour trying to start the bloody thing. Having turned it on, I could not release the parking brake to drive away. And then I couldn’t turn the car off.

A key symbol warning sign appeared and being quite determined to fathom out what on earth was going on, I read the very small and frankly sparse manual. I had to Google ‘how to start a new electric Fiat 500’, before fi nally watching some You Tube video reviews. After all that, I was still none the wiser.

I reluctantly called Maarten, who arrived jokingly saying he was coming to rescue me (and oh, what copy that would have made), only to fi nd that he couldn’t work out what on earth was going on either (to my slight satisfaction).

So, picture this, two 6ft plus motoring journalists in a tiny car going nowhere any time soon.

The irony was not lost on either of us. Several calls later to various people who should know what is going on and a recommendation to press the SOS call button in the Fiat, resulting in an immediate response from Fire or Ambulance, neither of which we needed, to which we gave our profound apologies.

Maarten unhelpfully suggested we order a pizza.

A local Fiat dealership pretty quickly asked us where exactly we had placed the key fob? Transpires that you must not place “The Fob” under any circumstances in the depths of the central console as it deactivates the key resulting in a call out from an engineer to reset it.

So, let’s start again… literally.

If looks are important to you as you pootle around town, then this cool, stylish Italian car should be high up on your shopping list. I drove the very lovely Rose Gold Icon edition which, whilst the paint job will set you back an additional £600, is really rather gorgeous. And if you ever wish to match your car with your outfits, then I would suggest that this one will go with most of one’s wardrobe.

It has lots of lovely design and eco-friendly touches including a motif of the original iconic Fiat design and ‘Made in Torino’ inside the door handle, little triangle signal indicators, Vegan-friendly fake leather on the steering wheel and seats are made from 20% recycled materials.

But, like most thing’s characteristically Italian, it does not go through life quietly.

The car produces a very strange, tinkling sound rather like an ice cream van siren when you turn it off, it bings and bongs when you open the door and then the horn beeps loudly and irritatingly every time you lock the car.

That said, if you are hurtling around narrow Sicilian streets imagining you are in an episode of Montalbano, it will make itself known. But be mindful that very same sound might just get a British neighbour’s teeth gnashing.

It has three driving modes – Normal, Range and Sherpa mode (read Eco mode) – which reduces output from the electric motor and gives you a top speed of 50 mph, turns off climate control and will make sure that you get to your destination.

It is great for zipping around town but I found the ride on country roads frankly unnerving as the steering is so light that the car vacillated over every bump and camber

A good friend who is a die-hard convertible fan, has a Prima Fiat Convertible version which cost £30,000 and says that whilst fun to drive, it is like a ‘souped-up golf cart’ when in one pedal mode. And that she has never got 200 miles on a charge – the best she has got is 167miles.

I think that sums it all up rather well.

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MODEL TESTED: Fiat 500e Icon ENGINE: Electric 42kwh

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GLOW WILD

Wakehurst, West Sussex

The enchanting winter lantern trail is back at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden, for its ninth year. It’s packed full of surprises, including a brand-new route. As darkness falls, the gardens are brought to life with beautifully hand-crafted lanterns and captivating light installations created by leading artists. This year, Glow Wild celebrates the spectrum of colours in nature, inviting you to explore how we see colour and the role it plays in our daily lives. Looking for a heart-warming date night or a fun evening out with friends? Adultsonly sessions are available.

November 24th 2022 2022January 1st 2023

www.kew.org/wakehurst/whats-on

WHAT’S ON...

A brief snapshot of art and culture in Sussex and Surrey

TREE WALKS LEONARDSLEE GARDENS

Near Horsham

Join the knowledgeable and enthusiastic wildlife expert, Elliot Chandler, and discover the history, uniqueness and beauty of some of our oldest and most interesting trees.

November 16th 2022

www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk

CRAWLEY COMEDY NIGHTS

Crawley

Support stand-up comedy in Crawley. Comedy Beats hosts standup evenings each first Friday of the month at The Grasshopper pub. November sees a fantastic line-up of 4 top-class UK circuit comedians: Russell Hicks (Compere); Stephen K Amos; Chris McCausland; Boothby Graffoe November 11th 2022 https://comedybeats.com/upcoming-shows

BRIGHTON GIN TASTING FLIGHT

British Airways i360, Brighton

Join members of the Brighton Gin team at the South Coast’s Highest Bar to learn about the history of craft gin and the process and botanicals behind Brighton’s favourite tipple, before getting the chance to taste four of Brighton Gin’s delicious products.

November 17th 2022 https://britishairwaysi360.com/tickets/ brighton-gin-tasting-flight

WINTER COMETS & CURRY FORBIDDEN NIGHTS

The Observatory Science Centre, Herstmonceux

November brings the prolific Leonids meteor shower. Spot Leonids shooting stars and possibly Taurids meteors too as Earth passes through the tail end of the Taurids meteor shower. Learn from the knowledgeable staff on hand at The Observatory Science Centre who will endeavour to invite you to look at some other interesting celestial objects through the large telescopes. An interesting evening – with a curry thrown in for good measure!

November 12th 2022 https://www.the-observatory.org

Brighton

Think Cirque du Soleil meets Magic Mike. Abandon your inhibitions at the door as the cast of acrobats, live male vocalists, fire acts, aerial artists and world-renowned circus performers flip and spin across the stage in this high-octane show.

November 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th 2022

The Arch Brighton www.forbidden-nights.co.uk/ brighton-show

BUBBLES & BOTANICALS

South Lodge , Horsham Bubbles & Botanicals is the brand-new Sussex sparkling wine event, being held at stunning South Lodge. Meet local producers and taste superb local sparkling wine and gins while learning more about the vineyards, distillers, sparkling wines and craft gins of Sussex. A fantastic line-up of industry professionals will be giving insightful talks and demonstrations throughout the day.

There will also be the opportunity to sample the award-winning Cuvee 58, Cuvee Rosé and the very popular, Joie de Vivre, from the Streeter family’s Benguela Cove Lagoon Wine Estate in South Africa.

November 19th 2022 www.bubblesandbotanicals.net

WATTS GALLERY, GUILDFORD

Watts Gallery - Artists’ Village is a unique Arts & Crafts gem nestled in the Surrey Hills. Discover their permanent exhibition of Victorian paintings and sculptures before treating yourself to lunch or a cream tea. Wander to the nearby Grade I listed Watts Chapel, taking in the beautiful woodlands and grounds, or find out more about the lives of G.F. and Mary Watts at Watts Studios before taking a tour of the artists’ home, Limnerslease. Plenty of makers’ classes on offer too plus lots to keep the little ones entertained.

Current exhibitions include:

• Faces of Fame (Contemporary) Photos from Simon Frederick’s portrait series Black is the New Black alongside paintings from G.F. Watts’s Hall of Fame. The display re-examines the representation of celebrity, race, gender, class, power, and empire, allowing a critical re-evaluation of Watts and exploring what a Hall of Fame might look like today.

Until March 26th 2023

• De Morgan Exhibition Husband and wife artists, William and Evelyn De Morgan were anything but ordinary. They defied the stereotypes of their time to create beautiful art which supported their liberal, socialist political viewpoint, their feminism, and their pacifist outlook on war.

Until December 31st 2022 www.wattsgallery.org.uk

I love O’shio - absolutely love it. So much so that I’ve been back twice since I was asked to review this restaurant for Dynamic.

By CLAIRE REEVES

O’SHIO

Authentic Japanese and Korean cuisine tucked away in Brighton

O’shio offers an authentic dining experience. Owner and chef, Min, is Korean-trained and Japanese-qualified, and was creating dishes in the open kitchen each time we visited. He spent years honing his skills in the restaurants of Korea, Japan, London and Brighton before opening O’Shio in 2016.

The restaurant is small, intimate and friendly and I believe the hostess to be Min’s wife, whose name I regrettably didn’t ask for.

The kimchi is homemade by her too and defi nitely not to be missed. The menu is quite extensive, ranging from wellknown Japanese and Korean dishes, such as sushi, udon and bibimbap to the little more unusual where chef Min has fused the purity of Japanese ingredients with the heat of Korean cuisine. There is defi nitely something for everyone!

Each time I dined at O’shio I took along a different friend and each time we had nothing but praise. Th is review is allocated too few words for me to wax lyrically about each dish but I must suggest the Sweet Soy Sauce Fried Chicken, the White Prawn Tempura Roll and any of the Korean Stews for those looking for something with a kickall washed down with smooth Sayuri Nigori sake.

Prices are reasonable and bookings are essential.

O’Shio, 87-88 Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4ER T: 01273 694814, www.oshio.co.uk

The restaurant is small, intimate and friendly

Wining & DINING

CERADELLO PROSECCO

ORGANIC BRUT NV

Italy, 2022 £12.95

An organic Prosecco that has soft and delicate fruit and floral aromas that give way to peach notes on the palate, with an appealing texture and fresh finish. A perfect aperitif wine, to serve with starters or even to make great cocktails. Vegetarian, vegan, organic and sparkling. https://tilleys-wines.com

CASTILLO PERELADA CAVA

Spain, 2018 £11.49

As so often with Cava, you get good bang for your buck here. Made by the Champagne method, this is Brut in style, with 8g/L residual sugar. Its delicate, fresh, citrus fruitiness is complemented by a subtle bready character and a lingering, complex finish. A perfect celebratory Cava for serving with fish dishes or canapés. www.waitrose.com

DOMAINE FOIVOS, NAUTILUS

Greece, 2020 £12.99

This is a blend of muscat, muscatel, tsaousi and vostilidi from 80-year-old pre-phylloxera vines on the Greek island of Cephalonia. Unusually the bottles are aged in fresh water tanks in the winery, providing constant temperatures, darkness and lack of oxygen. Ripe citrus aromas with hints of peach and nuts. A textured floral and herbal palate; bone dry with fresh, focused acidity that ends in a crisp lingering finish with notes of honeyed lemon and grapefruit pith. Lovely! www.allaboutwine.co.uk

CATENA MALBEC

Argentina, 2015 £10.49

Malbec is a favourite for red wine enthusiasts, and this tasty treat is a Decanter award winner. It offers a rich, soft plum and blackcurrant flavour infusions paired with a satisfying finish and smooth tannins.

www.waitrose.com

The Christmas party season is nearly upon us as we look for tipples that punch above their pricing weight - great wines at prices that won’t break the bank