For all of you who love local, independent, and unique for Xmas, here’s a pick of our favourite member items. Check out the #SHOPLOCAL Directory for more great makers, producers, and great gifting. Hello Ruth Handmade paper angel Xmas tree decoration Puddingstone Distillery Pud Pud Gin Apothaka skincare SOS recovery skincare duo Vida Eco Recycled […]

I launched the Creative Collective gifts and lifestyle pop up shop in Berkhamsted in November 2019, to offer an opportunity for my own and other small sustainable brands & start-ups to have a presence on the High Street. We have a lovely shop in the middle of town, which is home to an exclusive selection […]

Here’s a selection of the Halloween Activities we’ve seen happening across the Three Counties. We hope you enjoy them – if you do, tag us on Instagram and we’ll share your fun Halloween pics to our Stories! Ashridge House Halloween trail Ashridge House is depraved to present The Gruesome Gardens, a spooky Halloween adventure this […]

Hello, my name’s Emma and I’m an illustrator, embroiderer and maker! I’ve spent the past 24 years working in the design industry and my work has been stocked in many places including Liberty, Fenwick, JoJo Maman Bebe and John Lewis. Over the last few years, I’ve combined my two passions for illustrating and making into one with the embroidery technique called Punch Needle. […]

Aiming to introduce a new way to relax, recharge and enjoy time together for individuals across the UK and NZ, Haylee Benton is passionate about providing access to the very best in personal care experiences.  This passion led to her founding The Silver Fern Group, a portfolio of four brands: Alchemy & I, Cecily Spa, […]

There’s a lot to love about Tring, it’s a town of just the right size to have life and colour, not to mention a flurry of wonderful independent businesses to support every need whilst retaining the feeling of intimacy. In recent years it’s developed its foodie credentials with more and more culinary businesses appearing, meaning you don’t have to travel out for great food. Of course, the real jewel in the crown of Tring is its location, right among the Chiltern Hills, so the countryside is quite literally on your doorstep. With the trainline to London a short distance from the town centre, it’s no wonder this is an increasingly popular commuter town.

Having known Lucy Williamson as a Buzz Hub Co member and for her passion for gut health, high quality British food, and building optimum nutrition through real food, I was excited to hear about her latest offering – the Gut Project. Of course, I was even more thrilled to join for the first run of the course and find out what it’s all about and report back!

I am Jemma Palmer, owner of Halo & Wren Bridal. Halo & Wren is a modern bridal store located in Old Town, Hemel Hempstead, Herts. Halo & Wren has a small team of stylists and an in house seamstress. It’s very much for the non traditional bride or the brides who doesn’t want to look like all of her friends. H&W is a nationally renowned boutique for its welcoming and relaxed bridal shopping experience, independent designers and doing bridal the modern way.

Have you ever tried Temple Spa products? I’m always amazed by how beautiful they are – such potent and sensual aromas. Once you open the cap, you find yourself immediately transported to the feeling of being in an exclusive spa. They smell so incredibly good…and it’s that kind of smell that comes from essential oils and active ingredients that you know are going to do amazing things for your skin too.

It will be five years in October since I started The Buzz Hub Co. – originally a blog based in Tring about local businesses. If you’ve been with me for a while (I’m so grateful every day for the familiar faces I see and connect with on Instagram), you will know that the blog started as part of my social media training that I undertook as a way to leave my commute and corporate life behind. In the end it took 4 years and a pandemic to finally say goodbye to my corporate life and move away from running businesses as side hustles and, in the place of PAYE, I’ve seen some rather radical personal and business change.

Here at Equipp, as well as creating inspiring gifts for teens, we’re passionate about celebrating today’s teens and love to highlight their achievements. We’ve worked with teenagers and young adults in various ways since launching our very first collection based on illustrations commissioned from Lilly, a young artist living and working near us in Hemel Hempstead. We now have our own teen research and design team, run competitions for young designers, and feature their writing on our blog.

If you’re looking for something special to buy for the men in your life, we’ve put together a selection of great gifts from some of our members for you to choose from.

How you run your week affects your mindset & your productivity. It may sound obvious but it really does make a difference! As we’re nearing the halfway point of 2021 and with the world reopening I’m hearing lots of people say they are busy busy busy and starting to feel a little overwhelmed about what […]

Situated in the heart of beautiful, historic Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, ‘Creative Collective’ is a gifts and lifestyle pop up shop that brings together small, independent businesses, sharing space under one roof. Founded by Sinéad Bernhauser of lifestyle brand ‘Hot Haveli’, we’re home to an ever-changing selection of around 45 sustainable makers, designers and artists. We provide an opportunity for start-up and small brands to have a presence on the High Street in a bustling, supportive and friendly space.

The sun has been shining brightly (well for the most part anyway), blue skies have reappeared (let’s ignore the temperature) and peonies and sweet peas have started to bloom. Bojo announced that we will be able to sit indoors in pubs and restaurants soon and travel and holidays are on the horizon- hooray! Which means one thing……YOU NEED TO LOOK GREAT!

One year on from starting a small business, nobody said it was going to be easy and I am so glad they didn’t. From accidentally under charging for postage, to trying to advertise during a global pandemic, it has been challenging but also the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced.

For many, the impulse reaction to spotting grey hair is to cover it up, either in the salon or with at-home colour kits. However, lockdown, and time away from your hairdresser, has meant we’ve all had to rock our natural locks. Including those pesky greys.

Over the last year, many of us have come to embrace living in a more virtual world, sometimes that’s opened doors or connection that would of otherwise been shut and other times it’s the source of a wealth of frustration in awkward family quizes or difficult work meetings at the kitchen table. When it comes to Jackson & Seddon and their idea for creating a virtual wine bar

Let me start by saying that I am not here to preach. Often I see eco-living articles and ultimately end up feeling guilty that I’m not doing enough. Now more than ever, life is busy and stressful and full of anxiety, so worrying about the environment and the future of the planet can feel more than a little overwhelming.

April is Stress Awareness Month and a tough year of living through a global pandemic may have taken its toll on your skin.
From break outs to psoriasis flare ups, rashes to rosacea, stress causes a chemical response in your body that makes skin more sensitive and reactive.
We take a closer look at how stress and anxiety can affect the skin and how to combat it below.

We are blessed to have a number of incredibly knowledgeable and specialist practitioners locally, who work alongside the excellent services provided by the NHS, to support expectant and new parents. Some of these services are free; others require payment – they include antenatal classes, pregnancy yoga, hypnobirthing, specialist physiotherapists or even simply, but crucially, the opportunity to build relationships and share experiences with other expectant parents through networks such as local Facebook groups.

This is my third pregnancy, and it has been an ‘easy’ pregnancy in so many respects. I have had less aches and pains than my first and second pregnancies (who would have guessed!). I know the drill. Yes, it has been sad that my husband hasn’t been able to attend

Our homes are often overlooked when we talk about wellbeing, as we usually focus on the person and not their surroundings. However, there is increasing evidence that our homes help create a ‘sense of self’ and therefore if our physical space is calm, organised and peaceful – guess what – we feel that way inside too!

After a long career in fashion, retraining to become a personal stylist after having my three kids seemed like a good way to keep my passion going and build my way back into work that would fit around being a mum. What I hadn’t realised is that it would turn out to be an adventure in psychology, mental health and self-confidence.

So, it looks like the end is in sight of what has been a strange and trying  time…  For some it has meant homeschooling the kids, whilst simultaneously trying  to hold down a full-time job, some have found themselves without work and  for others there has been more time for quiet self reflection.  Maybe you’re […]

Lockdown really has given us a chance to up our skincare game. While we’ve had the opportunity to ditch the heavy makeup and let our skin breathe, we’ve also been able to reflect on how much time we used to spend in the mirror attempting to achieve often unrealistic beauty standards. Step forward, the “new […]

Read our Mother’s Day Gift Guide. Here is a small selection of some of our favourite items from our local businesses that might inspire you when sourcing gifts for the ladies in your life this Mother’s Day.

Eeezetopia was started at the end of 2019 when I came back from a holiday with my lovely mum and felt inspired to change my life and hopefully many others. I decided on the name because I felt eased and a sense of utopia when I used the products so after some brainstorming I created my own language, hence Eeezetopia!

The daily walk has become A THING in lockdown and we’re all looking for ways to liven up the experience with our kids. We asked Dan Johnson, who created Treasure Map Trails as a way of relieving the lockdown boredom for his children, for his tips on getting the kids outside and having fun.

We have lost count of the times we have written “what a year 2020 was!”. In fact, we hardly need to continue as that phrase conveys so much in itself as we have all suffered from the impact of COVID-19. At Castaway, we had some struggles of our own that began even before the pandemic hit…

With 2020 taking away our favourite form of glow up, we’re all looking to 2021 with anticipation for the return of the hair cut, colour and style. Able to transform our mood and confidence, nothing compares to that fresh out of the salon feeling.

Taste Treats is a monthly food festival in a box that is delivered directly to the doorsteps of foodies nationwide. Each month we select an exciting, surprise assortment of crackers and snacks, soups and sauces, sweets and treats, wine, deli and dips – handpicked from independent makers, artisan creators and up and coming brands – just like you’d find at a food festival.

I’m Rachel, owner and founder of Aquamarina Beauty. Our mission is to provide beautiful, natural skincare alongside crystal based tools, for a magical daily skincare ritual. We offer natural, cruelty-free and vegan friendly skincare alongside tools such as Jade Rollers, Gua Sha Massage Tools and our bestselling Rose Quartz Eye Mask – everything you need to treat your skin and lift your spirits, every day.

Being a teenager is difficult at the best of times but right now it’s harder than ever. The Covid pandemic has created huge uncertainty for young people, and we know that many are really struggling to cope with everything that’s going on.

With lockdown continuing for most of us it feels as though we are caught in a never ending cycle of being stuck at home working/ not working, child care, home schooling and zooming, with the dishwasher being loaded and unloaded several times a day and social interactions (IF we have time) being conducted through video conferencing and Whatsapp.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and social media is full of beautiful festive images. Taking photos of Christmas lights can be tricky, and there is no single group of settings that will guarantee great photos in any situation. Read on for tips on how to improve your Christmas photos.

Lisa is the stylist behind Style with Wisdom, offering a number of services from how to make the most of your existing wardrobe, personal shopping to avoid impulse buys, building your style and body confidence and how to rework your style after a lifestyle or body shape change.

Christmas is fast approaching and we can already smell the mince pies and mulled wine. In all the festive excitement, let’s make sure we love the planet, as well as our friends and families this Christmas. The best way we can do this is by reducing the phenomenal amount of waste that has become as synonymous with Christmas as Santa.

We love a local Xmas, so we thought we’d make it super easy for you all, by sharing a few highlights from our #SHOPLOCAL Directory. From fab food and drink, beautiful candles and thoughtful vouchers, we have a bit of everything to make your gift choices easier. Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg, so if you like what see here, don’t forget to visit our Directory for more local fabulousness.

We understand how much sourcing food safely can cause anxiety during lockdown but also how having meals delivered can be a great source of joy. We’ve therefore put together a list of businesses offering grocery & food supply, takeaway, delivery, or in-home dining.

I’m Harry Ephremsen and I am the proud founder of Hide & Seek CBD. My long term goal is to create the most trusted CBD brand on the market, with high quality, beautifully designed products. I suffered from anxiety at university, which is when I was first made aware of CBD and its potential benefits. I struggled to find a brand that I could relate to, and more importantly trust. I believe transparency and proof of product quality is vital, which is why I have implemented a batch testing facility available on my site, enabling my customers to see exactly what is inside every product.

In January 2020 I officially gave up the day job and took Aldcroft Photography full time. I had wedding bookings and was looking forward to meeting lots of families for outdoor shoots, especially the bluebells in spring, and getting cuddles with newborn babies. A new year, a new decade – this was my time to […]

What a year 2020 has been! Whilst we may all vary in our views, one thing we can probably agree on is that we didn’t see this coming or quite where it would take us. I’ve continually drawn strength and inspiration from our local businesses, their incredible products and services and the way they’ve adapted […]

Hello, I’m Natasha, founder of Eco Bonobo.  I set up my company in 2019 to help people make easy transitions to plastic free products.  Everything is zero waste, cruelty free, ethical and Vegan friendly.  I also sell liquid refills (everything from washing up liquid to white vinegar for cleaning) and wholefoods too (you can then […]

As the new school term fast approaches, anxiety levels of students, parents and teachers are rising. Here are some straightforward suggestions from ‘Nip in the Bud’ on how to deal with any potential anxiety children may experience upon returning to school. Uncertainty This is a very uncertain time and although it would be great if […]

And just like that, September has crisply breezed its way into our mornings after one of the longest and most peculiar summers in living memory. With the promise of new beginnings, Autumn blazers and fresh starts, we dust off the pencil cases and head back to school. It’s a fantastic time of year to embrace […]

Give a brief Introduction to you and what it is you do.  Who is involved in the business? We are a husband and wife team (Sarah & Wayne) running a small batch speciality coffee roastery in Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire. Speciality coffee has to be graded 80+ points and above on the Speciality Coffee Association’s grading […]

As a small business owner with over 15 years of running my own business building it from my bedroom, I can safely say that dealing with the COVID pandemic has been the single most stressful and hardest thing I have had to do. Having rebuilt in the 2008 economy crash and dealt with many other […]

Castaway Cottage is a family-run business offering beautiful hand-crafted products for the bath and home. From colourful bath bombs and crumbles to a range of natural wax melts and soaps; all made with care for skin and the environment using essential oils or carefully selected fragrances.   The packaging is compostable, recyclable or upcycled. We […]

by Sarah Cooke Right now we are obviously going through some strange & uncertain times, but I don’t believe that means you have to compromise your business – it IS possible to have a business that you love and that works for you on your terms. Even if you’ve had to temporarily close your doors […]