With the continual fight against climate change, businesses are expected to make differences in their management to improve their sustainability. One route many are taking is to go zero-waste. In fact, companies such as Morrisons are even attempting to shift to a fully zero-waste store by 2025. But what does zero-waste actually mean and what steps can your business take to keep in line with this goal too? What Does Zero-Waste Really Mean? When it comes to waste, you might be thinking of everything your business typically gets rid of during a week. And if all your waste is going to a landfill or incinerator, then you’d be right. However, you probably have a recycling bin somewhere in the business right now that isn’t actually producing waste. As long as you’re segregating and making a conscious effort to reduce what you send to landfills, you’re already on your way to reducing your waste. It is important to note that zero-waste doesn’t happen overnight as it can involve shifts in processes throughout a business that produce waste. Take, for example, your hotel kitchen. It would take time to transition from using ingredients which rely on wasteful packaging to recyclable materials. Allow your company the time to adjust to the new ways of working, and research how you too can start dropping your waste numbers. Ways To Achieve Zero-Waste 1 - Work With A Waste Management Company Working with a waste management company is one of the best ways you can achieve a zero-waste goal, especially if you don’t have the resources or understanding in-house to achieve all you want to. A total waste management system can ensure you’re firstly minimising any waste you produce, and only then ensuring you are disposing of it correctly. They then can even offer strategic advice when it comes to planning and designing out your waste. Nathan Gray, Head of Sustainability at Reconomy , experts in waste management, says: “Achieving zero-waste doesn’t have to be a difficult task when you have all the facts – ‘You can’t manage what you don’t measure’. By taking on a waste management system, you can get the technology, data, insights and initiatives you need to achieve your sustainability goals." “Making sure you’re keeping up with legislation or industry standards for sustainability, whether you’re in hospitality, construction, facilities or another sector, is crucial. With a heightened focus on climate change, making sure your business is making the vital steps to reduce your carbon footprint is more important than ever.” 2 - Recycle And Reuse Where possible, make sure you’re recycling and reusing equipment or waste products that can have multiple uses. Carry out a waste audit to analyse how much waste you are producing, which service lines are producing the most, and what types of waste you are producing. This will help you better understand your wastage and where it can be improved. This will give you an indication of how much your waste is costing you too, as wasted products can be costing your business money. Analysing your waste, redesigning products and implementing sustainable changes, can help you reduce your waste. For example, if your customers are using single-use hand towels, you might want to swap to recyclable or reusable hand towels. While the initial purchase price might be higher for sustainable items which are easily reused, they pay off over time. You just need to put in place a circular solution. Other considerations could be, if you’re buying in products which come in single-use plastic wrapping, you might consider discussing this with your supplier or swapping for one with similar sustainability goals and who use recyclable packaging. This is where the partnerships you make are crucial. Your carbon footprint isn’t wholly reliant on what you produce, but also on what you buy into your venues and how you handle them. 3 - Donate Another way to reduce your waste, especially if you’re going through a renovation, is to donate usable equipment and furniture to charities, local authorities, schools, libraries, or other companies in need of a start-up boost. This will also connect your business closer to the community, as you donate your belongings to those in need. This can be a rewarding way of removing unnecessary items, giving them another life without putting them into a landfill. 4 - Educate Your Staff Education is crucial when it comes to any transition in business, but even more so when it comes to sustainability. This is a whole company shift, and so it is a whole team effort to make sure that the necessary actions are in place, whether this is ensuring recycled items are being placed in the right bin or that your staff are educated around what zero-waste actually means for them. This also ensures that all venues are aligned. If you’re a hotel chain with multiple locations, ensuring each is following procedure and contributing to the zero-waste goals is essential, and this comes from adequate training for your management. Try an away day or collective company meeting to instil these values into your employees. We can also share best practice learning from one site to another to help share that knowledge. A good sustainability strategy involves everyone. This could be within the company as an employee training day, finding good partnerships with companies with similar sustainability goals, or working with a waste management team to truly understand and correct your waste procedures. Whichever way you go about reducing your waste, if you’re reducing your landfill and incineration waste, the impact on the environment and climate will be positive.

If you’re involved in a family-run business, you’ll know first-hand that people who run their own businesses often become embedded in the operation – physically and emotionally. There tends to be good governance, strong leadership, and regular reviews, with a focus on maximising the business. That said, business owners don’t always pay this same attention to detail to their personal wealth. In this article, Stewart Sanderson and James Trigg, wealth managers at Brooks Macdonald with extensive experience in advising business owners, share their tips on how to manage your personal wealth like your business. Find The Time Managing your wealth is very much like running your business, with the goalposts continually shifting and requiring frequent attention. In recent years however there’s been a fair bit of distraction, with the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by a ‘great resignation’ and sharply rising prices, driven by global supply chain problems and the war in Ukraine. As a result, many families have struggled to find time to review their personal finances, and dreams of charitable foundations, updating wills, travel and holiday homes remain on the to-do list. Make A Plan When the time comes to step back from running a family business, you’ll have some big decisions to make, such as whether to hand over the reigns to the next generation or to sell up and enjoy. Whichever route you choose, a structured and disciplined approach to retirement planning will help you to get there smoothly and securely. Some people consider their business as their pension, but this can be risky as often family business owners want to keep their capital tied up in the business, to pass on wealth to younger generations. Now more than ever, pension contributions are complex, with limits within annual allowances making it all the more challenging to diversify assets away from company tax effectively. An adviser can help you to explore all the available options. Have A Safety Net Of course you’ll want to make sure your business is the best it can be, but it’s important you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. As well as investing money into your business, consider diversifying across other asset classes, such as equities and bonds. Having a range of investments could help to cushion the blow to your long-term finances if your business doesn’t perform quite as well as you hope. How you spread your investments across different asset classes will depend on your attitude to risk and a discussion with a wealth manager will help you to decide the best option for you. Check The Family Silver Some family businesses overlook the investment opportunities right under their own noses – or feet; their premises. It’s possible to hold commercial property within a self-invested personal pension (SIPP) and each family member can own a share of the property in their pension fund. This could allow the company to buy the business premises where cash isn’t readily available. An adviser can advise you on the pros and cons of this strategy. Leave A Legacy Family businesses can often form a very special legacy, passed between, and tended by, multiple generations. To protect your business, so that it passes through the family intact, you must also protect yourself with insurance in case you became unable to work. You can also consider protection for other key people in the business, and have a personal and a business will in place alongside power of attorney, to ensure your wishes are followed in all eventualities. Further information – If you would like to discuss any of the above or enquire about financial advice, you can contact Stewart or James at pc@brooksmacdonald.com for a free, impartial conversation. When thinking about investing, you should always seek the advice of a qualified professional. The price of investments and the income from them can go down as well as up and neither is guaranteed. Investors may not get back the capital they invested.

Noble Foods has welcomed two new Non-Executive Directors to its Board, as the UK’s leading egg producer looks to broaden its advisory panel for future opportunities and growth. Mallika Basu and Anwar Sultan will join family-owned Noble Foods in November 2023 and February 2024 respectively, both bringing deep experience in marketing, commercial and digital trajectory to the historic company. Mallika Basu, a board-level communications and strategy advisor joins in November 2023, bringing with her vast experience in food and hospitality, having most recently led on the 2030 strategy for London’s iconic Borough Market. Commenting on the appointment of Non-Executive Director, Mallika said: "It's an exciting time to be joining Noble Foods, as the company looks to further drive its commercial growth. Among many things, I hope to bring my passion and knowledge of the food, drink, and hospitality industries to contribute to Noble Foods' commitment to quality and sustainability. As we navigate major cultural shifts, I also look forward to championing diversity, equality and inclusion to ensure a robust foundation for the company's continued success." In February 2024, Noble Foods will also welcome Anwar Sultan to the Board. Anwar, who is a digital leader and board director, with a wealth of knowledge in leveraging technology, data, and marketing, joins Noble Foods in conjunction with his role as Chief Growth and Commercial Officer at The Modern Milkman. Commenting on the appointment of Non-Exectuive Director, Anwar said: “I’m pleased to become part of the Noble Foods family, where I hope to channel my enthusiasm for technology and data to propel us forward. I’m keen to make meaningful contributions to Noble Foods' success by employing new ways of thinking and innovative strategies. Noble Foods has a dynamic landscape, and I look forward to contributing to the company's thriving future in the food industry.” The two new appointments follow the 2022 expansion of the Noble Foods’ Board, which saw former Coop Group CEO Steve Murrells join the established company. Together with Chair, Sarah Dean, and CEO Duncan Everett, Mallika and Anwar will work to influence the future growth of the business, its brands and innovations. Duncan Everett, CEO of Noble Foods, said: “This is a purpose-driven company with a firm emphasis on its people, animal welfare, and environmental impact – values that resonate deeply with me and with Mallika and Anwar. Now, more than 100 years since the company began, it is indeed an exciting time for our Board to grow and diversify once again, as we develop our business across core elements of egg, animal feed and our added-value innovations. We warmly welcome Mallika’s and Anwar’s ideas, challenges and guidance”. The Board of Noble Foods is led by chair and owner, Sarah Dean, who took over the leadership of the family-firm in 2019. Sarah Dean, Chair of Noble Foods said: “I was hugely impressed by both Mallika’s and Anwar’s energy, their insights and their individual perspectives on our industry. At our core, we want our company to excel for our people, our producers, and our customers. To truly flourish in the years to come, our Board needs to reflect the areas of growth we’re most passionate about. It’s my pleasure to welcome Mallika and Anwar to our extended family." Noble Foods began in 1920 and has grown to become the UK’s largest egg supplier. The company includes successful milling, poultry, agriculture, and consumer foods businesses. Within this, Noble Foods is known for several leading brands, the happy egg co., Freshlay Farms Golden Yolkers and Purely Organic.

HMG Paints is supporting Francis House Children’s Hospice as they bring the magic of Christmas to a pop-up shop in Quayside MediaCityUK by filling it with 40 unique Christmas trees. The Festival of Christmas trees is on display until December 10th and aims to encourage members of the public to place bids on the unique trees, each packed with vouchers, signed football shirts, hampers, vouchers and handmade gifts. Bids can be placed on each tree for five weeks in the run-up to Christmas, either in-store or online at: www.festivaloftrees.co.uk. The independent paint manufacturer who’s paints and coatings are seen across the country have joined a number of other businesses to help raise funds to support the remarkable work Francis House undertakes. Members of the public can bid on HMG’s tree along with trees from other participants including The Cadbury Shop, Manchester City, Manchester United, JP Goldman, Cardinal Global Logistics, Beaverbrooks the Jewellers, Morrisons, Uplift Knitters, LIFT-Financial, Amaranth, DLA Piper, and more. The annual project involves businesses, community groups and individuals coming together in the decoration of a one-off Christmas tree which will be auctioned off to raise funds for the Greater Manchester hospice. Based in Didsbury, Francis House provides respite care, home care, end-of-life care and a range of other services to the families of children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. The event this year is sponsored by Towers Business Park and Quayside MediaCityUK. Julie Williams, fundraising officer at Francis House said, “Anyone visiting the display is in for a real treat. With the help of our tree sponsors, there is something to tempt everyone to place a bid and be in with the chance of taking a truly unique tree home for Christmas.” “We provide the tree and lights, and the rest is left up to the imagination of our fantastic sponsors. Cardinal Global Logistics have created a bright and beautiful Barbie tree and the Thomason family have put together two trees bursting with football, gaming and food and drink goodies. Eccles Cakes WI have showcased their creative skills with a ‘Twelve days of Christmas’ themed tree, featuring beautiful handmade Christmas decorations.” A range of Christmas decorations, gifts and cards are also on sale in the shop along with the opportunity to win a raffle prize and take part in a lucky dip. Gracienne Ikin, HMG Paints Brand Development and Communications Manager commented; “As one of the charities chosen by our own staff, we’re proud to support the Festival of Trees, and we had great fun putting ours together.” “We really hope people take the time to visit the website and the pop-up store so the trees can raise a lot of money to support the work done by Francis House.” With some trees fetching hundreds of pounds each it is hoped the event this year will exceed the £25,000 in profit raised in 2022. The shop can be found on the first floor of Quayside MediaCityUK, formerly the Lowry Outlet. The pop-up shop will remain open until December 10, one week after bidding ends. Shop opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10am until 5pm and Sunday 11am until 5pm.

Family-owned and operated, Maldon-based Osea Leisure Park celebrates a Five Star rating from VisitEngland, making it the first park in Essex to receive this level of recognition for two on-site facilities, The Park and The Meadows. Osea Leisure Park has been scored by VisitEngland, as part of its quality assurance scheme, out of five levels of quality, exceeding each category, from cleanliness and services provided to physical facilities, by over 90%. Having successfully grown its offering, including its iconic pastel beach huts located on the Blackwater Estuary, quadrupling the number of staff, doubling the size of the Deckhouse bar and restaurant and building up the Meadows glamping site, Osea Leisure Park is at the forefront of tourism and hospitality. The park, which began its story pre-WW2 in 1933, was opened by Mabel Speakman to pea and fruit pickers for camping and to enjoy spending time with their families. Now, having recently celebrated its 90th birthday, it has been transformed into a leading, innovative, and community-focused business run by Mabel’s great-granddaughter Janie Robinson. The VisitEngland assessor commented: “Osea Leisure Park never stands still. A number of ideas and plans are in place for the future, and it is most encouraging to see the continual development and enhancement of the park and facilities with the management team and Owners being very much aware of the ever changing market and increasing guest expectations.” Janie Robinson, Managing Director of Osea Leisure Park says: "Since I took over Osea Leisure Park 20 years ago, it has been our mission to turn our resort into 'the best holiday park' using traditional values in a modern world." "Our team has always gone above and beyond to ensure every visitor who comes to our park makes memories that will last a lifetime. We are very proud of what we have achieved, and we can’t thank our team enough for the contribution each and every one of them has made in helping us achieve Five Star status.” Osea Leisure Park is an award-winning independent family park, built from traditional, community values and owned by four generations of the same family since inception. Its recent Five Star award highlights its efforts to push boundaries, having developed an additional 33 acres of the park to offer luxury camping facilities on the Meadows, including the Glass Houses, Emperor Pods, Royal Pods, Malvern Pods, Safari Tents, Stargazer Tents and luxury Shepherd’s Huts. The park enables holidaymakers to enjoy the perfect getaway, providing access to a range of outdoor activities including sea and freshwater fishing, the use of the beach, swimming, cycling, boating, kayaking and more. In addition, Osea Leisure Park also offers ownership opportunities for both new and used holiday homes, lodges, static caravans and beach huts, as well as Saltmarsh Point - an exclusive development of luxury lodges. Saltmarsh Point has 33 privately owned luxury holiday lodges within an exclusive enclave. A quiet and natural setting rich in wildlife, it is set alongside the unspoilt Essex coastline. A spokesperson for the British Holiday & Home Parks Association, the UK park industry’s representative body, said that Osea Leisure Park could take a real pride in its achievement: “Five stars is the highest possible grade awarded by Visit England and is a valuable indicator to guests and holiday caravan buyers of the high standards they can expect to enjoy." “Visit England assessors look not just at the quality of the park’s facilities and accommodation, but also at the friendliness, hospitality, and warmth of welcome extended to visitors." “In all these respects, Osea Leisure Park is clearly at the top of the game, and the five-star grading is a credit both to the business owners and their team." “The park’s participation in the David Bellamy Blooming Marvellous Pledge for Nature Scheme, organised by the Association, also suggests that nature and wildlife benefit from the same VIP treatment as their guests. Keep up the great work!” With plans to further extend its restaurant, develop new lodges and continue to update the menu at the Deckhouse Bar to reflect seasonal and local produce, Osea Leisure Park is proud to be at the forefront of the hospitality and tourism industry, creating an environment for holidaymakers where they can make lasting memories.

JCB is getting into the festive spirit with the launch of its annual toy appeal to bring Christmas cheer to children. The JCB Christmas Toy Appeal got under way with the setting up of 14 special collection points at the company’s factories in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Wrexham where employees can donate new and unused toys and gifts. The appeal culminates on Thursday, November 30th, when the gifts will be handed over to three charities: the NSPCC, the Stoke-on-Trent Hubb Foundation and Wrexham-based Yellow and Blue. At JCB’s World HQ in Rocester, a special JCB Christmas digger collection point has been set up in the reception area so employees - and members of the public - can drop off their festive donations. Employees at JCB’s other factories in Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Hixon, Foston and Wrexham are supporting the appeal and organisers are aiming to top last year’s donation of 1,000 gifts across the company. JCB Group HR Director Max Jeffery said: “The JCB Christmas Toy Appeal is a real team effort which will make a huge difference to children in the communities in which we live and work. Our appeal last year was a resounding success with more than 1,000 gifts donated by employees across all our UK sites.” JCB apprentices Abbie Graham, 22, of Uttoxeter, Ioan Evans, 21, of Rocester, Lisa Gamble, 22, of Stone, and Luke Zona, 21, of Ashbourne, are helping to co-ordinate the appeal. Ioan said: “It is a real privilege to help organise this event for such a great cause. The gifts are for children who may get nothing, or very little, at Christmas so every gift will truly make a difference.”

At Thatchers they are introducing a delicious new Apple and Blackcurrant flavour. A rich, refreshingly fruity cider, created with the sweetest dessert apples, a fresh berry aroma and bold natural blackcurrant flavour, welcome Thatchers Apple and Blackcurrant Cider. This latest addition to their award-winning range has an ABV of 4% and is available in both 440ml and 330ml can packs, as well as single 500ml glass bottles. Joining Thatchers best-selling Blood Orange, Cloudy Lemon and Rosé in the fruit range; Gold, Haze, Vintage and Katy in the apple cider selection, Thatchers Apple and Blackcurrant is crafted at Myrtle Farm in Somerset by the fourth-generation cider making family. Fourth generation cider maker, Martin Thatcher says, “We know this is a flavour style that is sought after by British cider lovers, so we’ve worked hard to give it a Thatchers twist that will help it stand out!” Thatchers Apple and Blackcurrant is currently available in selected Tesco, Budgens, Londis and Premier stores across the UK, as well as online. Look out for further stockists in early 2024. Thatchers Apple and Blackcurrant is made with dessert apples including Fuji and Gala, with natural blackcurrant flavour to give a rich and fruity character, featuring the provenance and refreshing quality that drinkers love from Thatchers.

More than half of the UK workforce (51%) want private healthcare insurance at work as concerns around access to healthcare grows, with dental insurance topping the list of asks as access to NHS dentists causes nationwide concerns. That’s according to new research by specialist recruitment firm Robert Half. The firm’s 2024 Salary Guide - which analyses and reports on market salaries, hiring trends, and skills requirements across the UK – highlighted clear concerns from employees as the NHS struggles due to a lack of staff and stubbornly high waiting times. These worries have translated into growing demands for better healthcare benefits, with private dental insurance most sought-after (cited by 62% of workers). This comes at a time when reports suggest a decline in access to NHS dentists has led to a rise in mouth cancer-related deaths. According to Robert Half’s data, a further 57% of staff are interested in Health and Outpatient Insurance, while more than a third (35%) would like mental health resources or Employee Assistance Programmes as workers struggle with burnout and other mental health issues. Demand For Private Healthcare High In UK The data also shows the plight of the UK compared to its European counterparts. While almost two-thirds of UK residents want dental insurance, just 42% of those in Germany indicated a desire for this benefit. Hospitalisation insurance is also particularly high in demand in the UK, with 59% of workers wanting this in 2024. Across other European destinations, this desire falls, with just 48% of those in France and 46% in Germany indicating that they would like access to this benefit. Steve Sully, Regional Director at Robert Half, commented: “The NHS issues and subsequent concerns around access to healthcare treatment is clearly playing on the minds of the UK workforce. This latest data shows a growing trend in people turning to their employers to provide private dental and healthcare benefits. Firms must be mindful of the perks and benefits that resonate with existing and future workers if they are to attract and retain the staff they need." “We’ve seen a trend of pay increase demands over the last year due to a combination of the rising costs of living and worker shortages, but this isn’t a sustainable means of sourcing staff. Employers are needing to be more creative about benefits packages to compete for top talent and, as the workforce is clearly showing, private healthcare, alongside mental health support, are a priority.”

Despite continued pressure on costs, leading Yorkshire-based temperature-controlled food storage and distribution business Reed Boardall has put in a strong performance, seeing profits before taxation rise to £1.4m for the year ending 31 March 2023. The group, which provides storage and logistics services from its single site in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, to many of the UK’s leading food manufacturers and retailers, achieved a £5.5m uplift in profits year-on-year. In 2021-2022, a number of adverse conditions, including Covid lockdowns, a cyber-attack and spiralling fuel and energy costs, resulted in the company sustaining a £4.1m loss. Marcus Boardall, chief executive of Reed Boardall, said: “Given global uncertainty as the Ukraine conflict continues, together with ongoing inflation, pressure on our costs has been unrelenting. In such a challenging environment, the group has once again put in a strong performance, based on its longevity, outstanding reputation in the sector and the skills of our highly trained team." “We were pleased to see labour shortages having a smaller impact last year than previously, largely due to initiatives we have undertaken to ease the industry’s recruitment issues, including our ongoing investment in training and improving working practices. By the end of the financial year, we had succeeded in training over 50 new recruits via our in-house driver academy, enabling them to become qualified HGV drivers, as well as having set up a number of administration and technician apprenticeships.” Mr Boardall continues: “Having already weathered one of the toughest years in our 30-year history, we are pleased that our latest financial results show the strength of the business as we look forward to further growth. The year ahead looks positive as we continue to prove the success of our single site strategy which enables us to provide an efficient and reliable service to our customer.” Group finance director Sarah Roberts adds: “It is great news that despite market turmoil, the business is back on track with both turnover and profits increasing. Some of the positive trends we saw included higher average store utilisation than the previous year, and the recent extension to our 168,000 pallet cold store running at very high capacity." “The group prides itself for being at the forefront of the cold storage and distribution sector and we plan to continue to innovate, for example, by seeking to further reduce our carbon consumption, water usage and waste production; and by investing in new technology and practices to drive additional operating efficiencies." “Our can-do attitude, long heritage and financial strength, put us in a strong position to continue to support some of the leading names in the UK food industry.” Based on a dedicated 55-acre site operation in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, Reed Boardall has grown to become one of the largest temperature-controlled food distribution businesses in the UK. With a fleet of 200 vehicles operating 24 hours a day, year-round, it delivers 12,000 pallets of frozen food daily from manufacturers across Britain, Europe and further afield to all the UK’s best-known supermarkets. It also provides blast freezing, picking and packaging services.

A farm shop in the Meon Valley has warned geese is off the menu for families across Hampshire this year because local farmers have not been able to source traditional British festive birds. Westlands Farm Shop near Wickham has expected turkeys orders to outstrip last year because of the shortage of geese and has urged customers to place their Christmas meat order in good time ahead of the Yuletide festivities. Local farmers have struggled to supply farm shops and supermarkets with traditional British geese this year because of the largest ever outbreak of avian flu, with more than 140 reported outbreaks in England alone. Suzi Howard, Head Butcher at Westlands Farm Shop, said they have already seen a high demand for turkeys this year because some of their customers can’t order their preferred festive bird. She added: “We’ve seen brisk trade in the shop, with turkeys being the most popular Christmas meat order this year. Because we have no geese available, it is more important than ever for customers to place their meat order early to secure their Christmas lunch centrepiece." “Despite there being a higher demand for turkeys, we’re confident we will be able to supply orders to all of our customers because we source our festive birds from a local farm on Portsdown Hill - as long as orders are placed as early as possible." “This year we’ve got a great range of meat to choose from including turkey, chicken, lamb, duck, ham, beef, pork and plenty more. But please remember to place your order sooner rather than later."

Pawprint Badges was founded in 2016 to provide fun, collectible, embroidered badges for all occasions and takes the strain off programme planning with 1000s of free activity ideas and resources. The embroidered badges include national landmarks, licenced collaborations, sports, animals, and more, all encouraging creativity, exploration, and expression in children of all ages. It was founded by Charlotte and Jamie Russell who have a firm belief in #AdventureForAll. They met back in 2015 in the shop at Gilwell Park (home of Scouting) looking at badges and the rest, as they say, is history. We spoke to Charlotte to find out more. Tell Me A Little About The History Of The Business? My husband and I are the founders of Pawprint Family, and we launched the business using our years of experience in education, Scouts, and Girlguides. With a passion for adventure and a desire to share that passion with younger generations, Pawprint Family was founded. Joining the Pawprint brand in 2020, Pawprint Trails and Pawprint Tales go hand in hand to provide a fun and informative way to discover the people, places and history of the UK. With treasure-hunts to get you out and about, free activity ideas, and a story to tell alongside each location, you can explore the sights and cities for real or enjoy them from the comfort of your own home. Thirdly, a percentage of profits from every sale goes in to the Pawprint Trust to provide grants for young people, helping them experience life changing adventures. What Are Your First Memories Of The Family Business? Having launched in 2016, Jamie and I are the first generation of Pawprint owners. Coming from a Guiding background, we launched the first 5 badges to existing fans who had previously purchased badges in support of my Ranger unit. From there, we have grown as a business and a family with our 2 daughters being raised in the office from 2 weeks, one in 2020 and the other just recently joining the family in August! Are There Any Other Family Members Working In The Business? The business is run by myself and my husband, Jamie, with the support of our parents who help with childcare and event support when necessary, enabling us to run the business and build on our success. The business hasn’t always been in my life, but it’s built on passions that have been with me since childhood. I started Girlguiding as a Rainbow at age 5 and growing up it, was a key part of my life! With the support of our Girlguides and our families, we were able to adventure, explore, and learn - and that’s what we want to provide to young people across the country with Pawprint Family. What Was Your Journey Into The Business And What Do You Do Now? When we started our Pawprint journey, I was very hands on. My daily life involved designing, writing activity packs, and producing everything customer facing. Thanks to the growth of the company and our bigger team, I’ve been able to put more time into the business side of things with a particular focus on sales and marketing. What Values Are Important To The Family And The Business? The entire focus of the business is built on our key value: ensuring adventure is accessible for all. Whether that’s through providing cheap activity learning packs or through the grants we’re able to provide with Pawprint Trust, we want to support young people’s drive for adventure. On top of this, we value community as a family and business unit, but also as a network of customers who are all as passionate as we are about allowing children to learn and explore. Finally, quality and value for money are key to our business. We aim to exceed expectations with the service we provide and give our customers activity packs and badges that will stand the test of time. Do You Build The Family Ownership Into The Marketing And Brand Narrative? Yes, mine and Jamie’s story is key to the business’ USP so we make sure to always represent the brand at events. We also still personally handle the social media channels to try and give customers authentic insight into business whilst keeping fun and adventure at the heart of everything we do. What Do You Think Makes Working In A Family Business Special? Working with Jamie is brilliant because we work well as a team and our skills very much compliment each other – something that definitely translates from the teamwork and understanding required of family units. Being a family business means we treat our employees as an extension of our family and we try to bring our values of honesty, integrity and trust into the business, treating others as we would like to be treated to make a happier, healthier work environment. Are There Any Disadvantages Associated With Working In A Family Business? Outside of the workplace, being a family business means it’s sometimes difficult to separate work and home. However, having 2 small people to take your time and attention makes this a little easier! Inside of Pawprint, we did employ a close family member for a short time but, sadly, it didn’t work out for a number of reasons. Personal connections are especially important when running a family business and maintaining these is crucial for the growth of the business and preservation of our personal relationships. Have You Taken Any Particular Steps In Terms Of Governance To Help Protect The Business For The Future? Following investment in the business by close family and friends, we took steps to protect the inheritance of the shares to protect the business for future generations. Is There A Next Generation In The Wings? We have 2 daughters, Little Pawprint (3) and Baby Pawprint (1.5 months), and they are both very much in and around the business! We hope one day they will both enjoy working together in the business but that they’ll have the opportunity to grow and develop through a variety of roles first. What Advice Would You Give To Anyone In The Next Generation Considering Joining Their Family Firm? Running a family business is often incredibly fulfilling and a true pleasure, but anyone considering joining a family firm should be clear on the expectations and responsibilities and be prepared to accept responsibility if things go wrong. It’s also important that you don’t take things for granted. Other people have worked hard to establish the business and it is your duty and responsibility to protect that and build on it for the future! If You Could Talk To Your Younger Self Before You Started The Business, What Would You Say? Keep striving. When we started we never envisaged we’d be here now. Some days the thought of working full time for the business felt like a pipe dream, but we worked hard at it and we’re in a place we wouldn’t have dreamed of when we launched Pawprint. You should also be prepared to adapt and change, take new opportunities but also be prepared to say no occasionally to protect what you have built and what you’re working towards. If You Could Sum Up The Family Business In Three Words, What Would They Be? Adventure for all.

Speedo’s pioneering Fastskin® LZR® Intent and LZR Valor swimsuits have entered a new dimension, with the introduction of new editions developed by Speedo’s Aqualab® research and development facility and engineering from Lamoral®️Space Tech. Utilising Lamoral’s world-leading expertise, the new suits feature improved hydrophobic qualities, allowing athletes to perform at their peak. New fabric innovation In collaboration with Lamoral, Speedo has produced its lowest water absorption and most durable water repellent suits yet. The innovative fabric coating is lightweight, providing a feeling of weightlessness. The Fastskin LZR Intent 2.0 uses a smart fusion of three textured fabric zones, along with bonded seams and compressive dual layers in targeted areas to streamline, increase power and reduce drag. The Fastskin LZR Valor 2.0 now has six times more durable water repellency, with compression that allows freedom of movement with stability and support. The new suits were developed in Speedo’s Aqualab, by a team of experts specialising in textile technology garment engineering, sports science, computational fluid dynamics, testing protocols and design. The Speedo Aqualab team has taken inspiration from space travel following on from its original LZR Racer suit, which saw NASA feed into the design of the suit that changed the course of swimming history. The choice of champions Worn by world champions such as Caeleb Dressel (USA), Emma McKeon (AUS) and Adam Peaty (GBR), since 2019, swimmers competing in Speedo Fastskin suits have broken 52% of all individual swimming world records, including 75% in 2023. Additionally, at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics 61% of gold medals and 49% of all medals were won by athletes wearing Speedo suits. Caeleb Dressel said: “Speedo – you somehow made the best a little bit better. I feel fast wearing it! When I stand on the blocks, I’m feeling confident that the suit is going to help me. It’s my own little Speedo rocket suit.” Australian swimmer, Emma McKeon, added: “The Speedo LZR Elite is very flexible and is firm in the right spots. I feel like I can really move and it seems like the water is not sticking to the suit, it really glides off. This is the best racing suit in the world, it feels fast and I can’t wait to wear it.” Simon Breckon, senior vice president at Speedo, said: “Our new development with Lamoral underpins Aqualab’s mission to push the limits of swimwear design through innovation. This upgrade is driven by science and informed by our expert athletes and club swimmers across the world. We’ve retained all the brilliant properties that make Speedo Fastskin suits the world’s fastest, but we’ve improved them – the world’s best just got even better.” The new Fastskin LZR Pure Intent 2.0 and Fastskin LZR Pure Valor 2.0 swimsuits are approved by World Aquatics and available to order from Speedo.