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 […]

“You have two choices: You can make a living, or you can design a life” (Jim Rohn)    I’d love to write about the mindset for success, without mentioning #COVID-19. However, I fear that if l ignored such a large elephant in the room, that has no doubt impacted most of our lives in some […]

KIN Training debunk myths surrounding HIIT and yoga and provide tips on overcoming your fitness fears. Persistence. Patience. Strength. Adaptability. Kindness. If the last three months have taught us anything, it’s certainly recognising the importance of these qualities in ourselves when overcoming uncomfortable and uncertain situations. What if we could use these skills and qualities […]

It seems everyone (in the skincare world!) these days is talking about the importance of the skin barrier, which whilst a good thing, many brands have jumped on this in terms of products which promise to repair the skin barrier. It’s a classic case of treat rather than prevent – the same conundrum seen in […]

This is not an easy article to write and it may not be an easy read.  It is not designed to be a set of checkboxes for you to tick and say that you’ve done it. Anti-racism is a lifelong commitment. It’s a business value. For as long as racism as we know it exists. I […]

I’ve heard talk of 4th July parties and planning of big days out to mark the occasion.  Whilst many businesses are still not able to open and others are open with adjustments, there is no denying that seeing hairdressers, pubs, cafes and restaurants will bring both excitement and a greater sense of normality to our […]

The last few months have been “challenging” to say the least, whether you’ve been home schooling, full-time parenting little ones, or juggling a bit of everything. I think we can all agree it’s certainly taken its toll. For many of you (myself included), this probably means your business has taken a back seat. With the […]

by Amanda Badger ‘This is the Royal Free Hospital, you recently came in for a chest x-ray’ said the voice on the phone. ‘Yes,’ I replied. ‘Can you come back in right away? We think you may have TB.’ I began to see stars as the information sunk in. What do I tell my fiancé? […]

I’m sure I’m not the only person who wishes they’d bought shares in Zoom back in February…whether chatting with family and friends, conducting meetings or joining a fitness class, the demand for, and use of, this online meeting platform has been huge. In the past week, with shops reopening, social bubbles expanding and some children […]

One of the most difficult aspects I found about my divorce was the change from a family of 4 to a family of 3. Yes, after divorce you are still a family, just a smaller one. So things are going to be different but that doesn’t mean they have to be negative. Here are some […]

This week sees the re-opening of many of our favourite high street and retail businesses.  Whilst many businesses have adapted to offer online, postal, or adapted services, re-opening of physical stores is probably the biggest step towards normality we’ve seen since lockdown started. We are thrilled at the boost it will give these businesses and […]

Do you find there aren’t enough hours in the day and you‘re becoming increasingly stressed with your long to do list?  Me too! Since becoming a mum, I have put a lot of pressure on myself to tick everything on my to do list off and I have sacrificed time for myself to get this […]

When I was invited along to try out aerial yoga at Tring Yoga Studio I couldn’t have been more excited. I’ve followed them for a while and loved the look of the brightly coloured slings in the stark white studio and despite my more flexible days being well and truly behind me…well, I think we […]