iwork4u

Common Health Problems: What can Massage do for YOU? By Magdalena Lorynska

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Tue, 08 May 2018 13:06:03 GMT

Massages are often sold as a purely indulgent treat that you get when you visit a spa or go on vacation, but there’s so much more to massage than just a feel good treat. Did you know that the symptoms of many health problems can be reduced and even eliminated with regular massage?

Here are a few conditions that massage can work really well on; a few you probably know and some that may surprise you!

Stress
It’s no surprise that a regular dose of massage therapy is good for your stress levels, it works by helping to lower your blood pressure, improve your quality of sleep, and by reducing your stress levels, it’s also thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease. In 2008 the journal Psycho-oncology published a study which came to the conclusion, “A significant reduction in cortisol (the main stress hormone) could be safely achieved through massage, with associated improvement in psychological well-being.”

Lower Back Pain
This is such a common problem, often caused by bad posture at work, so no wonder many employers are drafting in massage therapists to help. Poor posture and sitting for too long can cause a lot of lower back problems, as can simply getting older. Get your massage therapist on the case and you can hopefully wave goodbye to a sore back.

Sports Injuries
Fitness and sport are great for your health but they can sometimes lead to injuries and overworked muscles. A regular massage can help to heal any wear and tear on your muscles and tendons, and can also help you manage the pain from a chronic or acute sports injury. Having well looked-after muscles may also help prevent future injuries – one more reason to book those regular sessions.

Joint Stiffness
Massage can be a blessed relief for people dealing with the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis and other joint problems. Research published in 2013 in the Complimentary Therapy in Clinical Practice journal said that people with rheumatoid arthritis reported some relief from pain and stiffness after four once-a-week moderate-pressure massages, topped up with self-massage at home in between treatments. Massage can also help with your range of motion and flexibility, which can relieve pain in your shoulders, knees, and hips.

Circulation
There are a whole range of health problems that can be caused by bad circulation, so it figures that boosting your circulation will be a bonus for your whole body. Regular massage helps to get the blood moving, getting essential nutrients to where they are needed in your tissues and vital organs much faster. The squeezing and pulling actions involved in a good massage also help to flush lactic acid out of your muscles and improve the circulation of lymph - the fluid that carries metabolic waste away from your muscles and internal organs.

Migraine symptoms
Nobody really knows what causes migraines, and there isn’t a cure, but if you’re a migraine sufferer you’ll be pleased to hear that studies have shown that massage can help reduce the frequency of attacks, and lessen the severity of the symptoms. Some migraines, especially those triggered by stress, are especially receptive to massage treatment.

Skin Cancer
Of course, we wouldn’t tell you that massage cures cancer; it can’t. But in some cases your massage therapist can notice abnormalities in your skin that you can’t see or just haven’t picked up on, and alert you to them. Regular massage can also be good for your skin as it gets the circulation going and the nourishing oils used in a treatment help to keep skin feeling soft.

Allergies
A massage helps to stimulate lymph flow around your body, which boosts your immune system and can help to reduce the severity of allergic reactions. Sometimes a therapist might be able to tell just from your lymph nodes if you are an allergy sufferer as they can feel tender or swollen.

Did any of those surprise you? Of course, you don’t need to make an excuse for wanting a massage, but if you are dealing with any of these health issues, it’s good to know that your regular massage habit is helping.

Dual Renewal
Our signature therapy 'Dual Renewal' - a combination of hypnotherapy and massage therapy, was highlighted by The Holistic Therapist Magazine! We were on the cover of the magazine - it’s a big deal for such a small practice to be recognised!

Reminder: As of March our address change and is now: Suite 8, 3 Crescent Terrace Cheltenham, GL50 3PE (it is just by the Royal Well bus station). Please note that there is no change to the location of personal training sessions.

Mothers' Day

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 13:31:43 GMT

She has shown you some amazing things in your time. Mothering Sunday is coming up soon - it's Sunday 11 March. If your mum is still around, make a fuss of her!

If things go as nature intends, you will outlive her and then you will look back and wonder if you ever did enough to show her your gratitude and appreciation for everything she's done for you and your family.

I thought that the tradition of Mothering Sunday started in England when girls who worked away from home would get time off to go home to visit their mothers, and usually took a bunch of flowers. I looked online for further history and found this..

'Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate mothers and all mother figures such as grandmothers, stepmothers and mothers-in-law and everything that they do. A special effort is made on this day when children or daughters and sons-in-law buy cards, flowers or gifts for their mothers.

The origins of Mother’s Day date back to the ancient Greek times, but the way in which we celebrate it today began in America in 1908. The ancient Greeks dedicated an annual spring festival to maternal goddesses, and ancient Romans also celebrated a spring festival called Hilaria which was for a mother goddess called Cybele.

More recent origins of Mothering Sunday date back to the 1600s in England when it was held on the fourth Sunday of Lent. Some stories say that people would return to their mother church, the church that they were baptized in or attended services in when they were children. and this would bring together communities who hadn’t seen each other for a while. Other stories say that this date was to honour mothers. A prayer service was also held in church for the Virgin Mary and children would bring gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their mothers.

This day had almost died out completely by the 19th century.

After this, in America the idea of an official celebration for all mothers came in 1872 from Julia Ward Howe, an activist, writer and poet. She suggested that June 2 should be annually celebrated as Mother’s Day and should be a day dedicated to peace. Julia also delivered a passionate appeal to women in 1870 in Boston and urged them to rise against war, and she initiated a Mothers’ Peace Day service on the second Sunday in June and annually held the meeting for a couple of years. The writer worked hard to have Mother’s Day declared as an official holiday, but it was later replaced by the holiday now celebrated in May in America.

Anna Jarvis is recognised as the woman who invented Mother’s Day in America after she held a memorial for her mother in West Virginia in 1908. Her mother had previously expressed how much she wanted to have a mother’s day and Anna wanted to fulfil this for her. Anna held the ceremony for her mother and sent carnations to the church service for this as they were her mother’s favourite flower. After this, she and her supporters sent letters to those high up in positions of power and asked for an official holiday to honour mothers.

Eventually in 1911, Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every state and on 8 May 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a joint resolution document that confirmed every second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Today in the UK, Mothering Sunday and Mother’s Day have merged and it is celebrated on the second Sunday of Lent which usually falls in either March or early April.'

So there you go. That's everything I know about Mothering Sunday. Do you call it Mothering Sunday or Mother's Day - and if you call it Mother's Day where do you think the apostrophe should go - is it for mothers in general, or one mother's day?! I think it would be Mothers' Day.

Anyway the reason I started writing this was to give you some gift ideas.

1) Flowers - The traditional option - don't all mothers just love 'em? Order from The Flower Shed - Tewkesbury or perhaps a subscription to Thebigbloomroom 's Flower Club.
2) Chocolates - especially ones like OMmazing Chocolates which taste heavenly and are made in her favourite flavours.
3) An Experience - book a workshop together - how about making a bangle each at one of WMMsilver 's workshops?
4) A Treatment - a massage, healing or meditation could be pretty special!
5) A Photo Shoot - memories recorded for ever - Blink of an Eye Photography By Natalie
6) Beauty Products - how about something gentle and lovingly made for her skin type by Pink&Green ?
7) Accessories - beautiful tweeds or velvets trimmed with faux fur by Jessica Anstey Couture Designs , perhaps?

You can find all these and more right here .

And before I go.. I want to remind you to bear in mind those who have lost their mums and have that empty mum space inside that nothing else can ever fill. Those who wanted (or still want) to be mums but didn't have that option, so they give their motherly love out in other ways and my goodness the world needs that so much, where would we be without them? And the hardest of all.. those who have been mothers and their child has gone before them - that's not the way that things are meant to go and the grief is never over. All these kinds of mothers deserve love, kindness and a treat so much! So please make a fuss of them, and remember to be mindful of their feelings when you do posts about all the wonderful mums on 11 March. Mums who are around now, mums who've gone before, stepmums, aunts, godmums, world mums, and mums of the future.

xxx

Quick Fire Questions: Neil Gayler

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 13:13:27 GMT

Sali sent these QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS to Neil at Neil Gayler & Co - here they are complete with Neil's answers!

1. Where do you come from and how long have you lived in Cheltenham?
I was born in Hillingdon in Middlesex and moved to Cheltenham when I was 4.

2. You help people plan for the future - how?
By talking to them at length about the dreams and aspirations they have for themselves and their family, appraising their current financial position and then producing a bespoke Financial Plan that maps out how they are going to get from where they are to where they want to be.

3. I hear you are also spiritual. Can you tell us briefly about that journey?
This started about four years ago when I enrolled on a course at The Isbourne College called ‘An introduction to Holistic Living.’ I am now a Reiki Master, Massage Therapist and Crystal Healer and am knowledgeable and experienced in a number of other healing modalities.

4. Favourite restaurant in Cheltenham?
There are so many. Koj Cheltenham, KIBOUsushi, Purslane Restaurant, The Clarence Social, Monty's Bar and Brasserie, The Mayflower, India Lounge, The Daffodil.......

5. What would you like to be doing in 5 years' time?
Doing exactly what I want to - and only that - so a mixture of Financial Planning, Holistic Healing, mindful walking and travelling.

Sali Green - Lifestyle Column

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 17:54:33 GMT

This mini blog was written in sunny Devon, where my 3 school friends and I took some of our kids (the nicest ones) for the half term break. We were lucky enough to borrow a beautiful cottage big enough for all of us to stay in, right on the beach.

Whatsapp Revived Our Relationship

The 4 of us met on the first day of sixth form at Pate's Grammar School in 1986. We clicked immediately and became inseparable. During lessons we constantly wrote notes to each other and when the odd wiley teacher would intercept and read them, we devised a way of getting round this by passing around an innocent school exercise book we called The Blue Book, shortened to just 'Bloob'. We also had a whole code, so that if anything very private did fall into the wrong hands, they wouldn't be able to work out what it said. Over the 2 years of sixth form we got through a few Bloobs, and they contained every detail of our lives, woes and loves and lots of silly stuff, sometimes even actual food such as a splodge of brie (pretty oily and smelly!) or a slice of satsuma.

Anyway over the years, time and distance came between us. We went off to various places and had seperate lives. Karen moved to Hong Kong. Gaby relocated to Devon, Libbi to London and then Surrey, and me to London and then back to Cheltenham. We never lost touch, but speaking, meeting and writing to each became pretty irregular.

People often point out the negatives of social media and technology and yes there are many, however Whatsapp truly revived our relationship with our online 'Bloob'. There is not a day that goes by that the four of us don't write messages to each other. We are all parents with responsibilities, but having the ability to share problems and emotions but mostly just nonsense and hilarity, we are able to experience the fun we had when we were 17 and 18 all over again.

After being seperated from Karen for twenty years we are again reunited and quality time together is back on! Thirty year old relationships are pretty wonderful!

I hope we can take a photo like this every few years now.

Spoilt Generation

As the parent of a soon to be teenager, I'm reading a few books to help be better equipped to cope! I've read 'Get Out of My Life, But First Take Me and Alex Into Town', which has been quite reassuring to know that some behaviour is not unusual. Now I have moved onto 'The Spoilt Generation' and hope that too helps me deal with some challenges. The battle of wills is in full flow.

We are are part of a 'blended' family and working through the extra teething problems that brings. My partner prefers less internet for kids and more activity, and he's totally right, but I'm too soft on my son so it leads to a lot of 'good cop, bad cop' scenarios which are not fair on anyone concerned.

We are all committed to make more effort, to learn to compromise where necessary. It's time for me to absorb lots of well-researched advice from expert authors (as well as my Bloobs!) and put it into practise. If you have views on this subject and would like to discuss online, you're welcome to join my Facebook group ' iwork4u lifestyle & wellbeing group ' and have your say.

www.saligreen.co.uk

GDPR - by Sarah Wilkinson

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 01:23:27 GMT

99% of the 5.5 million businesses in the UK economy are made up of small-medium businesses (less than 250 employees), but this doesn’t make you exempt from the GDPR. In fact, smaller businesses are typically even less prepared. You will still need to take appropriate measures to comply with the GDPR, though of course this won’t be as large a task as for bigger organisations processing large amounts of data or are not involved in high risk processing . For some, it’s the fear of the unknown, for others, it’s a case of ignorance is bliss (“GDPR won’t affect me anyway”). For me? The more info I can get my mitts on to further understand the legalities, the better. Not least because I’ve got a duty to ensure my clients are compliant as employers!

So, my overview below comes with an appropriate caveat that a) it’s more focused on GDPR for employers and b) be warned that of course it’s not a substitute for seeking specialist legal advice.

Right; let’s start at the beginning. GDPR stands for the General Data Protection Regulation. If you’ve not yet heard of it then you have either been going about your day with your head in the sand, or somewhere else… anyway, long story short is that it replaces the current Data Protection Act (DPA) and it’s a BIG deal. It’s EU law that will come into force automatically on 25 May 2018 and when we leave the EU, it will be incorporated into UK law, supplemented by the Data Protection Bill which will be published by the Government. It applies to all personal data, so if any data identifies a living person, that data will be governed by the GDPR. This could be someone’s name or email address, their bank details or their medical records.

When can you process personal data?

Having an employee’s consent is unlikely to be an adequate legal basis for processing their data. One of the reasons employers can use is for the ‘proper performance of a contract’. For example, processing personal data is often essential for an employment contract, (to pay their salary). In most cases, this will be sufficient. Other reasons are:

To comply with a legal obligation (e.g. data about an individual’s sickness records)
The pursuit of a legitimate interest (e.g. for a disciplinary investigation). Be wary of this one, as you must identify what those interests are and ensure that your actions are necessary and are not overridden by the employee’s rights.

As an employer, you will need to consider what information you collect for employees, job applicants (successful and unsuccessful) and contractors (if applicable). How you collect it, where’s it kept, how long you retain it for – and then how you delete this data after the retention period.

Therefore, one of the first things you’ll need to do is conduct a HR personal data audit, determining the legal grounds for processing each category of employee personal data. If you process special categories of personal data or criminal records data, then you’ll need to do the same exercise for this data.

Then review your privacy notice and update in line with the GDPR:

Company name and contact details
Your lawful basis for processing as well as the purposes of the processing
Details of any recipients of the data
The right to withdraw consent (when the legal basis for processing is consent
The source of the data (if not directly from the employee)
How long the data will be held for
If the data will be transferred to other countries
Information on the right to make a subject access request:

- Subject access requests must be responded to within one month of receipt, at the latest, and free of charge – with some exceptions.

Information on the right to have personal data erased. The right to erasure/ the right to be forgotten applies in certain instances including:

- Where there was a breach of the GDPR in unlawful processing, or where there is no longer a clear business need to keep personal data (for instance in recruitment).
- This is a change from the DPA and you need to be familiar with the other reasons for the right to erasure and restrictions on processing personal data. There are also some circumstances where you can refuse the right to erasure.
- Remember to delete any backups!

Information on the right to have personal data rectified in certain instances

Here's an example of a privacy notice – what do you think of it? What about the boxes at the bottom, would they comply with GDPR? The answer is NO, they wouldn’t! They’re opt out, and remember that under the GDPR you can only use opt-in.

Consent requires a positive opt-in. Don’t use pre-ticked boxes or any other method of default consent (like above!). Avoid making consent to processing a precondition of a service.

Imagine my delight when my milk was delivered last week, along with this leaflet:

If you process special categories of data, you must show that one of the specific legal grounds for processing such data applies. More info here: https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/lawful-bas...

There is some good news, though. For small and medium-sized organisations, documentation requirements are limited to certain types of processing activities.

Current guidance is that if you have less than 250 employees, you only need to document processing activities that:

are not occasional; or
could result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals; or
involve the processing of special categories of data or criminal conviction and offence data.

If you have 250 or more employees, you must document all your processing activities.

You must also keep a data register to meet the requirements for record-keeping, and it makes sense to combine this with the location of the data, processing activities and the legal bases upon which you’re processing the data. Then, if an individual submits a subject access request, this will really help you to find the information you need within the timescales outlined by the GDPR. If your company transfers personal data outside of the EEA, you will need to ensure that adequate protection is provided.

The right to be forgotten

Individuals can ask you to erase any of their personal data that you hold, which you must do providing there are no other grounds for processing and no overriding legitimate interests. If the data is held elsewhere, like in the public domain or with a third party, you must tell them to erase the data held with them, too. If you have a legal obligation to retain an individual’s data, or if it’s needed to defend a claim, then you wouldn’t need to comply with the request in these circumstances; although you must cease processing for any other purpose.

Do we need to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO)? Appointing a DPO is a legal requirement if you are a public authority (except for courts), carry out large scale systematic monitoring of individuals (like online behaviour tracking), or if you carry out large scale processing of special categories of data, or data relating to criminal convictions and offences. Of course, you may wish to appoint a DPO anyway, so that they can manage your obligations under the GDPR and monitor compliance, acting as the first point of contact.

Still want more?

For a free consultation or to chat about how HR support can benefit your business, I’d love to hear from you: sarah@swchr.co.uk.

Visit Sarah's listing here .

5 Business Tips for 2018

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:07:21 GMT

always be open to lightbulb moments

I'm sure you've read more than enough advice on how to have a 'New Year, New You', so instead I've put together a list of Business Tips you may want to make use of. I've learnt these by looking after over 100 clients in 2017, by having sessions with business coaches and by committing to continuous self development and learning through reading books, attending workshops and watching talks. I've narrowed it down to just a few quick ones that you can easily implement into your work however long you've been doing it for.

1. Do More Instagram

Instagram is very popular - you don't need reminding of that. If you're in business it's a great platform for telling your story and showing off your wares. Make it attractive and be sure to share your website link. Be consistent with your message and your branding. Follow people who interest you and they will probably follow you back. Learn how to get the best from Instagram by coming to our Instagram Breakfast .

2. Use a Planner

These are so useful for getting your time planned out how you want, with your priorities firmly prioritised and no time wasted or procrastination. I like to use the 'default diary' method I learnt from Robin Waite which involves colour coding and making sure you allocate time for similar tasks on the same days of each week. For example you might like to set aside Mondays for admin, Tuesday mornings for meetings and afternoons for learning and development, Wednesdays for networking and meeting someone for lunch, Thursdays for sales and marketing and Fridays for tying up loose ends and then going for a pub lunch followed by a boozy afternoon. Whatever floats your boat, get it in the diary before other people demand your time, and only say yes to the things which are positive and productive, increase your earnings, help people you want to help, or spark joy.

3. Go Networking

However great social media is and however much it plays a wonderful role in communication and marketing, the best way to do business is by building relationships and the best relationships take place face to face in real life. When you are someone's point of contact and considered an expert in your field, you always will be, unless you mess it up by being unreliable or providing them with bad service or advice. There are different kinds of networking and there will be one out there to suit you. Be yourself and go along with good intentions and you'll get a good response. Listen to what people have to say, and figure out how you can solve their business problems rather than going along with an attitude of selling. You will soon find out if you are providing a service or product that people want to have, and if they don't, then it's never too late to change direction and find your niche. Some Gloucestershire networking events are listed here .

4. Trust Your Instincts

It's good to listen to other people's ideas and opinions but ultimately it's your job / career / business and it's your decisions that count. Always be open to lightbulb moments!

5. Have a Lovely Website

Your website is your global shop window. Make sure it explains what you do and is user-friendly and beautiful. Keep it simple. It's quite easy to make your own these days using web development platforms such as Weebly or Wix, or if you have the budget let the professionals take care of it for you. Find a web designer whose portfolio has the wow factor you're looking for. What attracts you will probably attract your target audience too.

You can find more business and lifestyle recommendations and tips by following us on social media.

Sal x

Watch promotional video HERE !

https://twitter.com/iWork4UGlos

www.facebook.com/iwork4uglos

Trauma Bodywork - by Magdalena Lorynska

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 14:01:34 GMT

Magdalena Lorynska from Wellness In Motion talks about Trauma Bodywork

My tips are relatively simple one but if you add them to your daily routine you will notice a difference in the way how your body feels.

FEEL & MOVE BETTER:

Drink more - WATER ��
Stretch regularly - add few stretches to your morning routine.
Exercise - why not do few squads each time to go to the bathroom?

IF YOU SUFFER WITH ANXIETY:

If you suffer with anxiety you may find that things like meditation, mindfulness, visualisation work for you.
Movement is importnant but you need to make sure that you do it in the way your body and mind are happy - try candlelit yoga or small exercise groups.
And finally - make sure that you educate yourself. The monster that we know is less scary than the one that we do not know!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE .

Eat a Christmas Rainbow - by Andy Tibbs

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 23:59:25 GMT

By Andy at Poco Culina

A nut roast is of course the default for a vegan or vegetarian Christmas dinner. Does it really have to be that somewhat dried up slab of something like softened chip board? No, of course it doesn’t. This set of Christmas dinner suggestions are bursting with colour, vibrancy, protein and nutritional punch. At the same time, you will not be asking for seconds, I guarantee it. Neither will you be reaching for the mince pies by the time the Queen has said her Christmas day piece. You will be, to be frank, stuffed!

So, there’s a few ingredients in here you probably won’t have in stock everyday, but hey it’s Christmas right?

To serve 4-6 people

For the nut loaf:

200g red lentils
1 red onion finely chopped
50g sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained and chopped (hang on to the oil!)
2 large cloves of crushed garlic
50g dried cranberries
100g chopped mixed nuts
100g of chopped chestnuts
50g of mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, linseed, flaxseed etc.)
1.5 tsp of dried herb de Provençe
1sp maple syrup
1 medium carrot finely grated
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sweet, smoked paprika
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste.

Method

1. Cook the red lentils in plenty of boiling water for 15 minutes until soft, drain with a mesh sieve.

2. Heat the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a sauté pan and cook the onions for 5 minutes until they just brown. Add all the other ingredients except the dried herbs and spices and stir well to combine. Add the dried herbs, spices and salt and pepper.

3. Line a large loaf tin (approximately20cm x 10cm) with baking paper. Spoon the mixture into the tin and spread evenly with the back of a fork. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees, gas mark 4 for around 55 minutes. Test by inserting sharp knife or skewer, which should come out clean when the loaf is cooked. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning the loaf out and slicing.

Loaf topping:

This can be prepared in advance, reheated and added to the top of the loaf after baking.

250g of chestnut mushrooms
250g of baby leaf spinach
1 sweet potato, baked and mashed
A good squeeze of lemon juice
A pinch of nutmeg
A few good twists of freshly ground black pepper
A few dried cranberries, soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften
A few whole walnuts
A handful of pomegranate seeds
A handful of fresh parsley roughly chopped

Method

1. Pop the sweet potato in the oven with the nut roast and bake for 30-35 minutes in its skin until soft.

2. Sauté the mushrooms in a cooking oil of your choice for around 5 minutes until they brown, turn of the heat and toss in the spinach until it wilts staring together with the mushrooms at the same time. Scape the cooked potato into the pan, mashing with the spatula as you go. Add the lemon juice, black pepper and nutmeg and stir to combine. Spread the mixture in a thick layer onto the nut loaf and decorate with the cranberries, walnuts pomegranate and half the roughly chopped parsley.

3. Arrange the topped nut loaf on a warmed serving platter and surround with roasted vegetables (carrots, parsnips, squashes, potatoes, celeriac, swede even a few cherry tomatoes etc.) and your winter greens – broccoli, purple sprout tops, sprouts, black kale (cavalo nero), fine green beans etc. and serve with a jug of rich onion and red wine gravy. Toss the remains parsley over the vegetables.

Bon appetit!

Tamil Nadu, India Part 1- Pondicherry to Tanjore - by Helena Lewis

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 12:45:19 GMT

A guest blog by Helena Lewis

It had been 25 years since I was last Tamil Nadu, South East India, as a fresh faced, green behind the ears 22 year old yogini completing my diploma in yoga therapy. My days back then were spent on an ashram so I actually saw very little of this once powerful Dravidian nation and since then Tamil Nadu has become more and more accessible with some wonderful properties opening and the infrastructure of this fascinating state improving beyond measure.

A direct flight to Chennai (Madras) is a joy though the 3 am arrival & 2 hours standing at immigration – an unfortunate coincidence that I arrived at the e-visa desks at the same time as a group of 40 Japanese tourists – is less so. After a quick rest and wash at the Taj Fisherman’s Cove about an hour south from the city it was off to Pondicherry on the South East coast for a couple of days.

Pondicherry has a fascinating French history from colonialism to the “soldars” ((dalits – the untouchable caste) who left Pondicherry to settle in France after partition, the majority joining the French Foreign Legion), temples, catholic churches with bling beyond anything Latin America has to offer, the Sri Auribindo Ashram and Auroville. I spent my time with the wonderful Bishuwajit Banik (Bishu) – a knowledgeable, interesting, quirky and, above all, funny guide who took me around on the back of his Royal Enfield motorbike.

While Pondicherry was first settled in 1674 by the French East India Company it was regularly annexed by both the Dutch and the British but was returned to France in 1814. When the British gained control of the whole of India in the late 1850s they allowed the French to retain their settlements in the country and even after partition in 1947 the French remained in power in Pondicherry until 1954 and full ratification didn’t happen until 1962.

There is a very obvious European touch to the city’s architecture with some beautiful and elegant examples of Franco-Tamil buildings in the French Quarter but in the Northern Tamil part of town the usual hubbub of stalls, workshops and markets still reigns. Sadly many of the old buildings are in a shocking state of disrepair but still retain much beauty.

The Catholic influence is strong throughout the town and the fabulous Basilica of the Sacred Heart (which was built for low caste Christian worshippers as caste apartheid even in churches existed) is decorated with some wonderfully gaudy murals and icons and even has its own Our Lady of Lourdes miracle corner outside complete with plastic goats and flashing lights. Utterly fantastic.

Not to be outdone on the technicolour interiors the Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam Temple, dedicated to Ganesh, is a riot of colours and deities and also has Lakshmi – the blessing elephant. I’m always very dubious about animals being used like this but Lakshmi has been at the Temple for 18 years since she was 3 and seemed quite calm and at ease despite the enormous crowds wanting to give her money and guavas in return for a blessing (Laksmi is the goddess of wealth so I need say no more).

One thing Pondicherry is renowned for is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram which owns most of the buildings in the French Quarter. Sri Aurobindo was born in Calcutta in the late 19th Century. He was sent to school in Britain aged 7 and returned to India 13 years later where he became a leading figure in the Nationalist Party. Convicted for writing articles against British Rule he had several spiritual and mystical experiences whilst in jail. On his release he moved to Pondicherry leaving behind his politics and developing a philosophical and spiritual practice that followed no particular religion known as Integral / Karma Yoga.

In 1914 Mirra Alfassa (The Mother), a French woman of Egyptian and Turkish Jewish heritage, travelled to Pondicherry to become Sri Aurobindo's disciple and eventually his spiritual collaborator. Together they formed a vision of Auroville - a community where people from all over the world could live together in harmony. Its focal point is the Matrimandir - Place of Worship of The (sacred) Mother.

The foundations for this spherical meditation chamber were laid in 1971 and it was completed in 2008. Last time I was in Pondicherry it was specifically to stay at the ashram to finish my diploma as an Integral Yoga teacher and the Matrimandir was a building site. Now it is a space of utter magnificence - really incredible. Auroville and the Ashram continue to grow.

I stayed at the delightful Palais de Mahe, a converted, characterful heritage building located a couple of blocks from the Promenade. Fantastic service, great staff and an incredibly good restaurant too!

From Pondicherry it’s a 3 hour drive to Chennai (Madras) – once the administrative centre for the British in Southern India and now one of the largest economic cities on the subcontinent, mainly due to its car industry. St George’s Fort, originally the barracks of the East India Company, is now a fascinating museum and the Government Museum houses a substantial collection of religious bronzes dating from the 7th Century to modern day - and while the fluidity and elegance of these bronzes were appreciated some muttering regarding the age old objectification of the female form may well have been heard too.....

Sadly my time in Chennai was very limited and I would have happily spent a couple of days there staying at the supremely comfortable Taj Coromandel and perhaps strolling along Marina beach, which at 13km the locals say is the longest beach in Asia and the 2nd longest in the world though I might dispute that. Not a place for a swim though as swimwear is prohibited – full dress only.

Tamil Nadu is now so well connected with flights that journey times to the interior of the State have been reduced considerably and it was a short 1 hour flight to Trichy. From here it’s an easy 1 hour drive to Tanjore (officially Thanjavur but as far as I could tell no-one calls it this). The city is an important centre of South Indian religion, art, and architecture and most of the Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around the area, the foremost among these being the Brihadeeswara Temple.

The foundations for this stunning temple complex, situated in the heart of the city, were laid in 1002 by the Tamil Emperor Arulmozhivarman of the mighty Raja Raja Chola dynasty and building was completed in 1009. It is one of the largest temple complexes in India and the main temple tower (dedicated to Shiva) is one of the tallest in the world.

The Raja Raja Chola Empire spread across South India and Sri Lanka to colonies in Vietnam and Cambodia and this complex is said to have influenced the temples of Angkor Wat. It is still very much a living temple with ceremonies happening throughout the day and a steady stream of pilgrims. I was there for elevenses aarti and the complex was relatively quiet so there was plenty of space and time for a full exploration and even a spot of temple offering sales.

From the temple I headed to the backstreets of Tanjore to visit a brass idol making family. The skill and knowledge of this craft is handed down the male side through generations and the delicacy and detail of the finished products is wonderful, though the Risk Assessment aspect of the workshop may have been slightly overlooked with molten hot metal handled by grandpa with only a dhoti for protection. Probably similar to handling nuclear waste with a pair of oven mitts. but the family insisted no-one ever gets burnt.

After a quick refreshment stop where I thoroughly enjoyed a toxic coloured 'top super grade something special 100 synthetic' drink I popped into a veena maker's workshop where the owner kindly invited me in to try out my skills. Having played a sitar in the past (admittedly only a handful of times) I felt I would be a natural and to be honest I thought I created a near celestial sound with an exquisite timbre and incredible beauty - his assistant clearly thought otherwise.

I thought no video or audio of my magnificent maiden performance existed but I was wrong and I am delighted to share what I consider to be the highpoint of my musicality with you.

Later that evening I headed back to the Temple for the Abhishekam of Nandi (the reinvocation of the holiness of Shiva's bull). This lunar festival is held once a year so for it to be happening on the night I was in Tanjore was serendipitous to say the least.

The temple completely changed by night with hundreds of worshippers there sharing food and performing puja. A beautiful and authentic experience with hardly any other tourists to be seen.

In a mere 5 night timeframe I’d seen and experienced all of the above and my senses were whirling from the rush of colour, people, smells, tastes, scenery and history and I was only a third of the way into my trip! And this is why I love India and travelling in general – so much to witness and indulge in that takes me out of my usual zone and feeds my brain, imagination and perceptions.

Next stop Chettinad......

To read more about Helena's travels see her blog here .

Tips From the Tribe - How to Be a Morning Person

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 20:50:21 GMT

Are you guilty of uttering the phrase 'I'm not a morning person'? I am. However, that doesn't have to be the case. It's all about mindset. To put this theory to the test, I asked some of the iwork4u Tribe members to share their morning routines and give you tips on how to have a better start to each day...

1. The best morning routines actually start before you go to bed so an evening routine is essential to the sustainable success of a morning routine.. No screens at least 30 mins before bed and put your phone on airplane mode so that when you get up you are not tempted to look at the mass of notifications you have waiting for you . Lay everything out that you will need for your morning routine for example put your running shoes by the front door and put your alarm on top of your running kit so you have to get up to switch off your alarm - this one is a little mean but it works :-) Don't get hung up on the time you get up - if you have worked until later allow yourself to get up a little later to ensure you get enough rest. You will be far less productive if you are tired. It's not about when you get up but HOW you get up. Gratitude - if you really can't face getting out from under the duvet allow yourself to lay there and think of 5 things you are grateful for - doesn't have to be anything grand or 'worthy' and may be as simple as i am truly grateful to have this warm bed! :-) After the gratitudes get up. Heather Angell, Heather Angell Coaching

2. Don't check your phone before 9am; this will give you some headspace and allow you to focus on the now. Kat Shayler, Sharpfox Social

3. Have a smoothie to wake up your system and give you a boost. Be sure not to have too much fruit (sugar blast) but include some green leafy vegetables in there, like spinach, to get the nutrition. Wendy Murphy, WMM Silver

4. After I wake up, a short meditation with positive affirmations to start the day, then I have hot water & lemon first thing before breakfast which consists of oats, blueberries, turmeric, raw cacao nibs and coconut milk. Take the dogs out for a walk, shower and then start work. Daniella Warner, OMmaZing Chocolates

5. What makes you YOU disappears when you sleep. Every morning your sense of self (your mind) re-emerges. Every morning, in houses all round the world, this wonderful phenomenon happens. So, when you have your first thoughts in the morning, why not celebrate how amazing you are. (An idea from Dr D Eagleman in his book 'The Brain'. ) Carol Aplin, Pink&Green Organic Skincare

6. I have a cuddle in bed with my youngest, just for a few minuets she gets into bed with me and we snuggle and whisper about things. Then coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Laura Stokes, The Cheltenham Cleaning Company .

7. Practise and feel gratitude. As a child you were excited about the day ahead. As an adult things get in the way! Dont let them. Remember we are a magnet for our thoughts and vibes. #designyourlife. Paul Montagu, Car Helpers / Little White Van Man / The Negoti8ors

8. Don't think my usual morning routine of coffee and nicotine needs to be mentioned. Works for me mind �� Helena Lewis, Heliotropic

9. When you have woken up and before you get out of bed, do this short routine to clear any cobwebs away and set yourself up for the day. a) Swing legs over edge of bed and put both feet flat on the floor, focus on your feet touching the floor. Ground yourself: imagine tree roots growing from the soles of your feet, going all the way down to the earth, and fix the roots there, entwined around a rock in the core of the earth. Feel yourself becoming more stable and steady, a calm grounded feeling. b) Imagine you are under a magical shower (can be of water, or of light) that can wash away all tension and stress, envisage it showering you until you are free of everything you do not need to carry round with you. c) Then, imagine wrapping yourself in a huge white cloak, knowing it will protect you but will still leave you able to interact and be compassionate to others. The imagination is an extraordinarily powerful thing. These three steps will make all the difference to how your day goes! Janie Whittemore, The Healing Company

10. Stretch and breathe for a few moments whilst still in bed on a morning. If you normally have aches and pains anywhere (and haven't got round to booking an appointment with me yet!), find a way of moving gently in bed to stretch those areas and gradually free them up before you get out of bed. Deep breathing can be used to help you to relax last thing at night or to energise you first thing on a morning. When you get out of bed and stand up: breathe out as you dip your hands to the floor, breathe in as you lift your arms in a big circle either side of you and crossing over above your head as you say 'Good Morning World!'. Jayne Burke, Holistic Therapist

11. I have started getting up and going for a run. Only for 25 minutes, but it's up and out, no thinking about it. Get it out of the way. Having this time to think has massively improved my day! Laura Duggal, Laura Duggal Coaching

12. Before I get out of bed I start my day with thanks and being grateful for life, grateful for the day ahead and grateful for people - celebrating those things. Then I read relevant bible verses and pray for those on my mind, their businesses and lives and about my day ahead - then have breakfast and coffee - only 1 a day! Then listen to something inspiring and motivational or music before actioning the to-do list which I've usually written the night before. Cheranne Hack, Cherry Creative

13. Create a morning routine, meditate, listen to music that makes you feel good, don't watch the news... Cindy Davis, The Feel Good Coach

14. I always sit up and spend a few minutes looking out of the window at the trees. It's my favourite view from my cottage. Then if I am to have a good morning I do Sun Salutations and drink a cup of hot water before I have anything else. I definitely don't listen to the news if I can help it. Annie Russell, Honeystone Hair

15. I get up before 'the rest of the world wakes up' so I can set my self up for the day in the best way possible. I start with meditation, then I read myself my 'life-affirming story' out loud while walking around to really embed it in my whole being (I developed a system for writing this S.T.O.R.Y., if you are interested), then I do something no one has mentioned yet, I think: I time myself for one minute and I jump around the room in the most excited way possible, thinking about great things that I want to happen, high-fiving as if someone is there with me, let out the occasional whoop (not too loud as to not wake up the family and the dog)... It's a bit like dancing as if nobody is watching and it works a treat; after this 1 minute I feel up for the day and ready to do whatever needs doing. Then I calm down a bit (lol) and look at my vision board for 5-10 minutes (I give Vision Board workshops too). After that I briefly write in my journal to cement my intention for the day. I'm all calm and set up to deal with the manic 'getting everyone ready and out the door thing' in the best way possible. Renny Slade, The Goal Clarity Coach

16. Try this 4min winter warmer designed to get the blood pumping, from Sarah, Charlton Kings Zumba ! We've heard that morning exercise increases brain function and metabolism, sign us up! Click HERE for the free video.

If you pick your favourite few tips from here and start doing them every day, there will be no reason to say 'I'm not a morning person' any more! You'll be a morning person, whatever time you get out of bed :) xx

Sal's Tips for Anxiety About Going to the Dentist

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:52:36 GMT

5 ways to alleviate your anxiety

This week I went for my 2nd appointment at Arnica Dental Care , this time to see the hygienist. I'm happy to say I no longer have anxiety about going to the dentist or hygienist, so for anyone who is slightly or severely phobic, I can assure you that the team at Arnica is very understanding and gentle. Before long you won't have even a flutter of fear about going.

Tips I find useful for anxiety about going to the dentist or hygienist:

1) Don't eat for a couple of hours beforehand - this helps you be able to open your mouth more easily without fear of gagging.

2) Have a calm hour before you go. If you're into meditation, this is perfect for balancing and quieting your mind in preparation.

3) Don't have coffee or other forms of caffeine (these can heighten feelings of anxiety).

4) Rinse often during your treatment, it breaks up the amount of time your mouth is being inspected or your teeth being cleaned.

5) Use 'tapping', otherwise known as EFT, on your fingers during your appointment. (I do mine by pressing into the corner of the fingernails rather than actually tapping the fingers. Let me know if you want a video demonstration of this!) Here's a quick YouTube I found on tapping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au58GqCvaas

Let me know how you get on!

https://www.iwork4uglos.co.uk/arnica-dental-care

Are you a Chocolate Club VIP? - by Cheranne

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 16:08:36 GMT

There’s a knock at my door, it’s a delivery. I wasn’t aware I had ordered anything, let me think..ah, is it that time again already?! It's the precious, petite box of pure joy I’ve been eagerly waiting for, and it’s not a day too late! I tear into the paper, I can smell the warm, soft sweetness alluding to what’s inside this month. I find the signature note from the crafter of these little creations, then carefully open the box (so not to disturb the contents) to take a peak inside, with as much excitement as if receiving a puppy on Christmas morning!

Sitting there I see nine individually wrapped chocolates. My very own, personalised smooth chocolate truffles created just for me! ‘Chocolates?’ you may think, ‘All that anticipation for a box of chocolates?!’ Well, I say unapologetically, yes! These aren’t just any high street chocolates, nor were they mindlessly ordered online - popped in the basket and paid for without a second thought. No, these OMmaZing bite-sized pieces of heaven were purposefully chosen by me and thoughtfully made for me.

I must resemble a wild bore snuffling in the undergrowth for a seasonal truffle rummage, eyes rolled back, digging in to these in utter delight! I can’t just stop at one, you see, it’s a problem (but one I’m not willing to change). I’ve heard there are others who suffer the same happy addiction. I think Daniella could create a self-help group for us called 'OMmaZing's Anonymous'? No? Well it sounds as if the amazingly Exclusive VIP Chocolate Club is the only other alternative then!

Chocolate Club is the perfect option for those of us who eat chocolate more regularly than to celebrate our own birthday. Especially if you treat yourself to chocolate at least once a month and consider yourself a healthy eater with a sweet tooth; desiring to know even the ingredients in your ice cream. I love chocolate but I don’t eat it too often, so when I do, I like my choice to be something I can take my sweet time to delight and indulge in. Chocolate Club is clearly the answer!

What I love about Chocolate Club, is that as well as it conveniently saves a trip to the supermarket to stock up on a couple of bars (which I’m not fussed about but eat anyway), I get to choose my own favourite fillings from a vast selection of flavours, right down to the type of chocolate used - from milk to raw cacao. I get the satisfaction of receiving a box just when I’d forgotten all about it, and usually right at a moment when I appreciate them most too. Upon their arrival, it sort of feels like I’m getting a reward or like a present to myself just to say ‘well done you’. I think it’s important to treat yourself sometimes and what better way to do it?

These chocolates aren’t created using cheap ingredients and 'no frills' sugar; the sort of rubbish usually found in those shop-bought bars. I can enjoy these truffles feeling reassured with the knowledge that all of the ingredients are of the highest quality and have been well researched and included for their health benefits; producing the most rewarding and delightful flavour combinations. I know that I’m eating something nourishing, and dare I say it, rather healthy.

I can only really describe OMmaZing Chocolates as divine, the most perfect present to give and to receive and so lovingly made by Daniella. The Chocolate Club is clearly the most effective way for all of us to get our monthly fix. All VIP members receive priority access to Christmas and Easter orders too, as well as a FREE box on their birthday. I can choose from dairy free, vegan, milk chocolate, blond chocolate, decadent organic dark chocolate or have a mixed box. I also get to sample a new flavour before anyone else has even heard the word on the street about a new OMmaZing treat!

If you’re interested in signing up, you’ll be saving time shopping around, saving money on mediocre alternatives and even sparing yourself the effort of trying to find a Christmas or birthday present. Why not purchase a subscription for a friend or family member? Now that’s the gift that keeps on giving! I like the sound of being a Chocolate Club VIP, it’s a club I actually want to belong to - and I don’t even have to get dressed up or leave the house to enjoy it!

Subscription prices are included below:

9 choc box for 6 months, only pay for 5 months = £60
9 choc box for 12 months, only pay for 10 months = £120
25 choc box for 6 months, only pay for 5 months = £140
25 choc box for 12 months, only pay for 10 months = £280

As Daniella would say, ‘happy truffling!’ I certainly will be!

Don’t Believe The Hype: a Nation of Junk Addiction - by Andy Tibbs

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 14:39:11 GMT

A weekly blog discussing contemporary food and nutrition topics. Written by the Owner and Head Chef of Poco Culina, Andy Tibbs.

Those of you of a certain age may recall that ‘ Don’t Believe The Hype ’ is a half-remembered rap song from some years ago. At that time I was still working in my previous life of advertising and design. It’s a strange industry – obviously it makes its money from clients who have products and services they wish to sell to particular groups of people – and advertising agencies are as much a mainstream business as the clients they work on behalf of. Yet, the creative studios in which I spent many years were populated by very ‘alternative’ people who thought, bought and behaved very differently to the consumers they by and large were employed to influence. I felt quite comfortable there for a long time, but I look back with a certain discomfort on that world now.

Advertising is extremely influential in the highly lucrative and extremely competitive food and drinks industry (although I have never worked on campaigns in those sectors). Think how we have been persuaded to ‘ go to work on an egg ’, or that British Beef, New Zealand (and more recently Welsh) lamb and Danish bacon are somehow better than other counterparts. More recently, food and especially snack food, advertising aimed at children has become a hotly debated political issue. Jamie Oliver is a vociferous campaigner for a 9pm watershed for such advertising as are former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and former Health Secretary Alan Johnson. Yet little has changed. Major food brands have continued to target children with junk food products that dazzle young eyes and create a sense that such products are a normal part of everyday diet.

You know what’s coming now, so here are a few facts for you. Current legislation states that advertising for high-fat, salty, sugary (HFSS) foods cannot be broadcast during ‘children’s TV’ programming. A somewhat worthless piece of legislation given that research from the consumer magazine Which? shows that 18 out of 20 programmes watched by children under 16 aren’t covered by this legislation. Ever sat through the X-Factor ad breaks? Britain consumes 51% of all the crisps and savoury snacks eaten in Europe according to Joanna Blythman in her book, Bad Food Britain: How a nation ruined its appetite . Research from the Compass consumer group says that 70% of 3-year olds recognise the McDonalds golden arches logo, but don’t yet know their own surname.

The simple facts are that heavy, rotational advertising of low grade, cheaply produced foods that contain addictive (yes, addictive) levels of fat, salt, sugar and other laboratory produced flavour enhancers undermines the efforts of parents to maintain a balanced, healthy diet for their children. The basic restrictions on advertising high fat, additive laced foods have only this year been extended to other media types. Here’s Ian Wright, director general of the Food and Drink Federation, "Two years ago, FDF announced its backing for major changes to the way food and drink is advertised, based on our belief that non-broadcasting advertising rules should be in line with the strict rules already in place for TV. HFSS food and drink ads have long been banned on children's TV, with under-16s today seeing far fewer of these ads than in recent years. As young people move away from traditional media towards new and social media, we feel it's important that ad rules keep up with this change."

Yet campaigns to limit the impact on children of exposure to horrendously unhealthy products is continuously scuppered by both the food and the advertising industries. The aforementioned Food and Drink Federation suggests, 'Foods high in fat, salt and/or sugar are not harmful per se. Fat, salt and carbohydrates are essential macro-nutrients. It is the balance of them that is important. All foods can fit into a balanced diet, which involves appropriate intake of all nutrients over a period of days.' In other words, junk foods fit with a balanced diet as long as you hardly ever eat them. What utter rubbish.

You already know my views on what may constitute a balanced diet – but common sense tells me that if that balanced diet is balanced with junk foods, the diet is no longer balanced. Inevitably, junk foods are also, by default, replacing component parts of that balanced diet. Seems pretty obvious to me. I’m actually sure that it’s pretty obvious to most people if they stop and think about it for a moment. Of course a little occasional naughtiness is not the end of the world, but it’s not that occasional any more is it?

I know very well how powerful advertising is. I also know that promoting the relative features of one product in order to make it seem superior to another have long since ceased to be the only factor in campaigns. The persuasive images and messages used in contemporary advertising are designed to change behaviour and the way people think. As a result, consumers have convinced themselves that they have no time to prepare healthy food from scratch any longer. Just as dangerously, unhealthy, damaging food products are normalised, becoming part of daily diet. In the worst cases, junk food is the daily diet. Poor quality foods are cheap to make (therefore desirable commodities for brands to sell) and also retail shockingly cheaply. It frightens me to think that an enormous bag containing 18 or more packets of salty, sugary, fatty crisps each containing upwards of 350 calories per individual pack can be bought more cheaply than a bag of real potatoes sufficient to feed a family. Make sense of that if you can.

This advertising stuff works, and it works very well indeed. In the UK consumers are continually exposed to messages about the dangers of high fat, salty and sugary foods. They know there is a spiralling obesity crisis in the UK; they know that instances of diabetes and even strokes are increasing, yet they take virtually no notice whatsoever. UK consumers are completely and utterly under the spell of the appallingly dangerous foods peddled by supermarkets and fast food chains alike. The UK is addicted to junk, quite literally, and can’t stop and needs help fast. Here are some final closing facts which confirm that whilst advertising is increasing the profits of junk food producers and high street fast food chains, the health message is consistently failing to be recognised. Money and political will are of course at the root of this. Cheltenham town centre is rapidly becoming a giant sized food hall. Some of its restaurants and cafés are exceptional in their quality and approach; many, sadly are not. Many caring, independent businesses have been sidelined and crushed by the global chains the town (and many other towns) encourages gleefully. So…

According to the Prevention Institute:

Nearly 40% of children’s diets comes from added sugars and unhealthy fats.
Only 21% of young people aged 6-19 eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Just 12% of grains consumed by children are whole.

Not content with killing our planet in the pursuit of fast, junk food we seem also quite happy to kill ourselves too.

Watch what you eat!

Andy.

www.pococulina.co.uk

Condensation Control in Homes - Important Notes for Householders

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 14:36:40 GMT

A post written & contributed by Mark Williams, J&M Remedial Services

A THERMOSTAT CONTROLS A REFRIGERATOR
A ROOM THERMOSTAT CONTROLS CENTRAL HEATING
A THERMOSTAT CONTROLS AN OVEN

ROUTE 1 - HUMIDITY CONTROL EQUIPMENT

1. In your kitchen and bathroom you may have a humidity controlled fan system. This is an extract fan controlled by an electric humidistat.

2. Air contains unseen water and the humidistat constantly checks how much. At a pre-set level the humidistat will automatically switch on the fan to extract the unwanted airborne water. It will automatically switch off when it has vented the moisture.

3. Most water is produced in the kitchen and bathroom and your humidity controlled fan systems will be installed there.

4. You will see the fan come on when you wash up, cook, bathe, wash clothes etc. Neither the humidistat nor the fan require you to operate them to work – they control themselves automatically, 24 hours a day, all year round.

5. Your humidity controlled extract fans have been installed to alleviate condensation, excess moisture on walls, windows etc. To vent the moisture the fans must operate. The fan will operate when moisture is detected which if not vented could result in unpleasant condensation.

6. Typically your fan will operate for no more than 3 hours a day. However, if your home (or a new house) has not dried out the fan can run continuously for up to two weeks after installation until the Relative Humidity is reduced. Also at certain times of the year (hot sticky wet days) the Relative Humidity of the air outdoors can rise above 65%. This may cause the fan to run for an extended period of time. Whilst this extended running may be a nuisance, it is vital so that it can maintain the minimum possible level of humidity in the home.

7. Your humidity controlled fan may be connected to an over-ride switch. Operate the switch only if you want the fan on continuously for a period of time. For example you may want to vent cooking smells or to lose indoor hot air on a summer's day. Remember to operate the switch again when you want the system to control itself.

8. Occasional cleaning of the fan is required – to be carried out by a service engineer.

9. Finally, the important matter of running cost and the effect on your electricity bills. Your humidity controlled fan system will run at 20 watts, compared with an economy light bulb at 25 watts.

ROUTE 2 - CONTINUOUS TRICKLE FANS

1. In your kitchen or bathroom you may have a constant trickle fan. These fans usually have a pull cord boost (override) – always switch this back to trickle after excess smells/moisture have been removed.

2. Air contains unseen moisture and if the trickle fan is fitted with a humidistat and there is excess moisture, ie
60-65% Relative Humidity, it will automatically boost the fan to a higher speed and reduce speed to trickle
when humidity is reduced.

3. Most water is produced in the kitchen and bathroom and your trickle fans should be located there 150mm
below ceiling to centre of fan on an outside wall.

4. You will see the fan come on when you wash up, cook, bathe, wash clothes etc. Neither the humidistat nor the fan require you to operate them to work – they control themselves automatically, 24 hours a day, all year round.

5. The trickle fans are installed to alleviate condensation, excess moisture on walls, windows etc. To vent the moisture the fans must remain ON.

6. Your trickle fan runs quietly 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and if a humidity model, will automatically speed
up or go back to trickle if the humidity level increases above 60% Relative Humidity.

7. There may be an override switch (with a cord) – only pull this to quickly remove smells.

8. Fans need occasional servicing and cleansing by a professional Service Engineer.

9. Finally, the important matter of running cost and the effect on your electricity bills. Trickle fans are very low drain and have 20watt electric motors, less than an economy light bulb at 25 watts.

Please visit www.jandmremedialservices.co.uk for more information.

Milking The Planet Dry - by Andy Tibbs

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 13:05:33 GMT

A weekly blog discussing contemporary food and nutrition topics, by the Owner and Head Chef of Poco Culina Andy Tibbs.

It was my birthday over the weekend. I played the game of reversing the numbers of my age as I often do, so for example, two years ago I was 15, last year 25 and this year I reached the ripe old age of 35! The game also involves recall and reflection too. Shortly after my 19th birthday in 1983 I left home to go and study in Wiltshire, leaving behind my South Devon comfort zone. I had been vegetarian for a relatively short time at that point, and I was excited about taking complete control of my own food. I regularly visited a health food shop called Swindon Pulse, which was an Aladdin’s Cave of open sacks of beans, grains and cereals with shelves piled high with meat replacement products that required rehydration, tins of exotic Eastern foods unfamiliar to me and also soya milk. At that time it was completely unavailable anywhere other than health food shops. I loved that shop – such shops had yet to re-imagine themselves as ‘pharmacies’ selling mainly supplements and bodybuilding potions, as they seem to now. I also liked one of the girls who worked in the shop, but that’s another story altogether.

Also I remembered being at primary school in the 1970s, at which point the full horror of school milk came flooding back to me. Miniature milk bottles holding, I think, 1/3 of a pint that arrived in the classroom first thing in the morning and were then stored on the radiator and in full sunlight. Needless to say, by the time my teacher had brutally stabbed the lids of each bottle with a knitting needle and inserted a straw later in the day, this full-fat bottle of misery was warm and thoroughly sour. I will forever be grateful to the late Margaret Thatcher for scrapping school milk (although there is little else in her legacy I am grateful for). I hated that school milk with a passion and as a result I’ve had a strong dislike for milk ever since.

Milk was no loss to me whatsoever when I shifted my diet to a fully vegan one a couple of years ago. To many, however, it is a default in the household fridge. Why? How did it come to be that humans became the only animal group to never become fully weaned?

A study by scientists at University College London concluded that dairy farming communities in the Balkan and central European regions were the first humans to genetically change sufficiently to digest milk sugar lactose without becoming ill, some 7.500 years ago. Here’s Professor Mark Thomas, UCL Genetics, Evolution and Environment: ' Most adults worldwide do not produce the enzyme lactase and so are unable to digest the milk sugar lactose. However, most Europeans continue to produce lactase throughout their life, a characteristic known as lactase persistence.' The study suggests that following the domestication of animals, the genetic adjustment in their farmers allowed them to consume milk as a source of some vitamins and also because it was less contaminated than water supplies in those areas of Europe.

So much for the history. In modern Europe milk adds no nutrients that cannot easily be gained elsewhere and water contamination is largely not an issue either. In fact, the The Independent newspaper mentioned that dairy consumption has dropped by 30% in the UK over that past 20 years. Arguably, there are a couple of reasons for this among ‘mainstream’ consumers. The nutritional arguments for a reduced fat diet led to the rise in popularity of semi and fully skimmed milk, and an overall decrease in milk sales. As did a greater understanding of food intolerances – lactose is a big one – causing digestive problems, lethargy and skin conditions. Siobhan Norton goes on to say in her Independent article, ' It is thought that one in five people have some kind of dairy intolerance, although only 5% have a lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is caused when people don’t produce enough of the enzyme lactase needed to break to down the lactose, or sugar, in milk so that it can be more easily absorbed. The lactose stays in the digestive system where it ferments with the bacteria, producing gases and leading to flatulence, bloating, cramps and even diarrhoea.'

There are also many credible arguments that suggest that the presence of hormones and antibiotics used in modern milk production are also doing us no health favours. Some research suggests that due to the acid content of milk and the effect that has on our PH balance, countries with a high dairy consumption have an increase in calcium deficiency and osteoporosis – the exact opposite of what dairy marketing initiatives have been telling us for years. Steve Bessant, Nutritionist and Co-founder of The Coconut Collaborative ( a range of dairy-free yoghurts) says that the pasteurisation process actually denatures the enzymes that help to break down the proteins in milk. ' This leaves milk proteins undigested in the small intestine, damaging the delicate lining of the gut and causing inflammation in the short term, and in the long term affecting the body's ability to absorb key nutrients. Although milk contains calcium, as little as 25% is actually absorbed by the body. Just because a food contains nutrients it does not mean they get absorbed - you are not what you eat, you are what you absorb.'

It goes without saying that I don’t believe the human body needs dairy to be healthy. I talked last week about sources of vitamins and nutrients in a vegan diet, so won’t repeat myself. Similarly, I certainly don’t believe that cruel practices such as pumping cows with hormones, antibiotics and creating an artificial state of pregnancy in cows can also ever be acceptable. Neither can I accept the environmental damage caused by the dairy industry, which now has approximately 270 million cows worldwide. According to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) 'Dairy cows and their manure produce greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change. Poor handling of manure and fertilisers can degrade local water resources, and unsustainable dairy farming and feed production can lead to the loss of ecologically important areas, such as prairies, wetlands, and forests'.

My challenge and my message to you is, as always, think about what you are consuming and make the choices that you believe in. The dairy industry is in a perpetual state of panic due to the aforementioned falling sales. Supermarkets now sell milk more cheaply than they sell water as they try to cling to sales. Milk manufacturers are falling over themselves to produce lactose-free milk by adding counter-balancing additives in order to protect themselves. Traditional dairy farmers are being squeezed into the ground by retailers’ buying policies. The good news is there is an increasing range of alternatives – all of which I successfully cook with. ‘Milks’ made from coconut, hemp, soya, cashew, hazelnut, almond, rice and oats are now readily available. Try them. See which you like and which works for you. Oh, and thanks to that hideous school milk I recalled at the start of this piece, I drink my morning coffee espresso style – black and in small cups, so maybe you don’t even need a replacement as often as you think.

Watch what you eat!

Andy.

www.pococulina.co.uk

How to Embark on a Plant-Based Diet - by Andy Tibbs

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Mon, 04 Sep 2017 15:37:30 GMT

Spill the Beans - a weekly blog discussing contemporary food and nutrition topics, by the Owner and Head Chef of Poco Culina, Andy Tibbs.

Photography by Lisa Lavery

A guy we know went vegan last week, he announced to the world (on Facebook of course). Actually that’s not quite true, he has adopted a plant-based diet for a while in order to help him to lose some weight. He’s quite a big guy, he’s also a bit of a bacon butty and burger type character. As a result of his post he’s received many comments essentially sneering at his decision and making jokes about his eating habits pre last week. No doubt that’s been disheartening for him, but he has already shed 5 pounds. Not bad going, hey?

He proudly posted images of his enormous basket of fresh vegetables – a rainbow of colour which he intends to be the basis of his meals this coming week. We have given him some help and support with a few pieces of advice around supplementing his vegetables with other food types to help him feel more full and also to balance his diet a little better.

Now… perhaps this sounds like you. Or, you may already have made a more long-term decision, you could even be thinking about ‘meat-free Mondays’ or perhaps introducing more plant-based days into your weekly meal planning. All power to you, I say. What I want to discuss in this week’s blog are ways in which you can eat satisfactory, healthy and nutritionally balanced meals.

This will sound a little odd at first, but you need to prepare to eat more! I know, great isn’t it? Plant-based food can be extremely filling, but you will require greater volume. To put it in simpler terms – a meal comprising vegetables and pulses, for example, will need to completely fill your stomach. A heavily meat based meal should only half fill it, and a dairy-based meal a bit less again. So fill your plates, people!

I discussed proteins a couple of weeks ago, but as a reminder, those beans or lentils are crucial. Not only will they provide sufficient protein for your body, they will also fill you up more effectively. Vegetables will also make a contribution as will soya based products such as tofu (even processed products like veggie burgers etc. in moderation). Whole grains are good, as are nuts and seeds. Those good old beans are also an extremely effective cholesterol reducer.

Nuts are often demonised as fatty foods. They do contain fats, but the body requires some fats on a daily basis. Clearly a diet of deep fried or heavily oil coated foods is not good – you already know that. Think instead of olive and rapeseed oils, perhaps coconut oil although it’s not to everyone’s taste. Avocados, nuts, seeds and fresh olives are also sources of ‘good’ fats. Flax seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds are particularly good as they contain a type of Omega-3. Dr Michael Greger, in his excellent website www.nutritionfacts.org also makes a case for flax seeds as beneficial in reducing hypertension (or high blood pressure). So smash those avocados on your wholegrain toast, throw those nuts and seeds on your breakfast and mix flax with water on a ratio of 1 part flax to three parts water and use it as a very effective binder when replacing eggs in your diet.

I have blood pressure that seems naturally on the high side. Don’t now why and neither does my doctor. What I do know is that my cholesterol is now very low since ditching cheese, milk and eggs from my diet two years ago. I also know that using my bicycle, being mindful but not obsessive about what I eat and cutting down on alcohol a little brought my blood pressure down to a level that stopped worrying my doctor and avoided the issue of medication.

It’s probably reasonable to say at this point that nutrients some are used to getting from animals – calcium, B12 and iron being good examples – are not unique to these animals. Where do the animals get them from in the first place? The plants they eat, of course. Cows, once weaned, are vegan don’t forget. So calcium for example may be gained in more than sufficient quantities from dark green vegetables like kale or collards. Fresh orange juice, almonds, figs and our old friends beans are also good. Iron is also easily gained and absorbs even better with Vitamin C. So how does this sound for a few ingredients to include in tonight’s dinner: Beans with tomatoes (probably not canned baked beans in tomato sauce too often though). Fresh spinach or kale with lentils and say broccoli with a few strawberries for dessert. B12 can be more tricky. B12 doesn’t come from meat exclusively, it comes again from what animals eat, as it is a nutrient found in topsoil. However, over-farming has diminished natural nutrients in soil, therefore it’s probable that meat or even vegetables no longer provide B12 in suitable quantities. So look for fortified food products such as Nutritional Yeast (not baking or brewer' yeast) which have added B12, to add a cheesy, nutty flavour to sauces.

I intend this week’s words to be simply a starting point. I don’t claim to be a nutritionist or dietitian, nor is my advice comprehensive. If you have any concerns please consult a trusted professional source. If you have been, or are considering a plant-based diet in the long term, supplementing B12 and iodine is worth considering, as is Vitamin D. Sadly the UK population as a whole is probably short of Vitamin D because the sun simply doesn’t shine enough, we don’t spend enough time outside and air pollution inhibits it. Sunblocks also diminish its absorption (although there are good reasons for using them). Vitamin D has vital health roles to all of us, yet as a nation we are borderline low and in many cases significantly deficient.

I’ll leave it there for this week. As always, the best and simplest advice to everyone is balance your diet and understand what you are eating better. As Hippocrates said 'Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food'.

Watch what you eat!

Andy.

www.pococulina.co.uk

Coffee - Who can drink it and who should avoid it?

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 14:27:32 GMT

guest blog by Dawn Swinley - the Drop a Dress Size Coach

Coffee is one of those things - you either love it or hate it. You know if you like the taste or not (or if it’s just a reason to drink sugar and cream). You know how it makes you feel (i.e. your gut, your mind, etc.).

Not to mention the crazy headlines that say coffee is great, and the next day you should avoid it!

There is actual science behind why different people react differently to it. It's a matter of your genetics and how much coffee you're used to drinking.

NOTE: Coffee does not equal caffeine. Coffee contains between 50-400 mg of caffeine/cup, averaging around 100 mg/cup. Coffee is one of the most popular ways to consume this stimulant. But… a cup of coffee contains a lot of things over and above the caffeine. Not just water, but antioxidants, and hundreds of other compounds. These are the reasons drinking a cup of coffee is not the same as taking a caffeine pill. And decaffeinated coffee has a lot less caffeine, but it still contains some.

Let's look at caffeine metabolism, its effects on the mind and body, and whether coffee drinkers have higher or lower risks of disease. Then I’ll give you some things to consider when deciding if coffee is for you or not.

Caffeine metabolism

Not all people metabolize caffeine at the same speed. How fast you metabolize caffeine will impact how you’re affected by the caffeine. In fact, caffeine metabolism can be up to 40x faster in some people than others.

About half of us are 'slow' metabolizers of caffeine. We can get jitters, heart palpitations, and feel 'wired' for up to 9 hours after having a coffee. The other half is 'fast' metabolizers of caffeine. They get energy and increased alertness and are back to normal a few hours later.

This is part of the reason those headlines contradict each other so much - because we’re all different!

The effects of coffee (and caffeine) on the mind and body

NOTE: Most studies look at caffeinated coffee, not decaf.

The effects of coffee (and caffeine) on the mind and body also differ between people; this is partly from the metabolism I mentioned. But it also has to do with your body’s amazing ability to adapt (read: become more tolerant) to long-term caffeine use. Many people who start drinking coffee feel the effects a lot more than people who have coffee every day.

Here’s a list of these effects (that usually decrease with long-term use):
⦁ Stimulates the brain
⦁ Boosts metabolism
⦁ Boosts energy and exercise performance
⦁ Increases your stress hormone cortisol
⦁ Dehydrates

So, while some of these effects are good and some aren’t, you need to see how they affect you and decide if it’s worth it or not.

Coffee and health risks

There are a ton of studies on the health effects of coffee, and whether coffee drinkers are more or less likely to get certain conditions.

Here’s a quick summary of what coffee can lead to:
⦁ Caffeine addiction and withdrawal symptoms (e.g. a headache, fatigue, irritability)
⦁ Increased sleep disruption
⦁ Lower risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
⦁ Lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes
⦁ Lower risk of certain liver diseases
⦁ Lower risk of death ('all-cause mortality')
⦁ Mixed reviews on whether it lowers risks of cancer and heart disease

Many of the health benefits exist even for decaf coffee (except the caffeine addiction and sleep issues).

NOTE: What’s super important to note here is that coffee intake is just one of many, many factors that can affect your risks for these diseases. Please never think regular coffee intake is the one thing that can help you overcome these risks. You are health conscious and know that eating a nutrient-rich whole foods diet, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep and exercise are all critical things to consider for your disease risk. It’s not just about the coffee.

Should you drink coffee or not?

There are a few things to consider when deciding whether you should drink coffee. No one food or drink will make or break your long-term health.

Caffeinated coffee is not recommended for:
⦁ People with arrhythmias (e.g. irregular heartbeat)
⦁ People who often feel anxious
⦁ People who have trouble sleeping
⦁ People who are pregnant
⦁ Children and teens.

If none of these apply, then monitor how your body reacts when you have coffee. Does it:
⦁ Give you the jitters?
⦁ Increase anxious feelings?
⦁ Affect your sleep?
⦁ Give you heart palpitations?
⦁ Affect your digestion (e.g. heartburn, etc.)?
⦁ Give you a reason to drink a lot of sugar and cream?

Depending on how your body reacts, decide whether these reactions are worth it to you. If you’re not sure, I recommend eliminating it for a while and see the difference.

Recipe for Pumpkin Spice Latte

Serves 1

3 tbsp coconut milk
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp pumpkin puree
½ tsp maple syrup (optional)
1 cup coffee (decaf if preferred)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to blender and blend until creamy.

Serve & enjoy!

For more great tips and advice pop over to www.dawnswinley.com

References:
https://authoritynutrition.com/coffee-good-or-bad/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-coffee
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/a-wake-up-call-on-coffee
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-your-coffee-habit-help-you-live-longer-201601068938
http://suppversity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/caffeine-resistance-genetic.html
https://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink/

Spill The Beans - by Andy Tibbs

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Mon, 28 Aug 2017 21:17:51 GMT

A weekly blog discussing contemporary food and nutrition topics, by the Owner and Head Chef of Poco Culina, Andy Tibbs.

The day the world went vegan. Well, for a few hours it seemed that way. Amidst a Bank Holiday weekend blessed with welcome but long awaited sunshine, Saturday became Cheltenham Vegan Fair day. Something approaching 100 stall holders, charities and talk/workshop ‘deliverers’ descended on the Town Hall to be joined by in the order of 2000 visitors throughout the day – many of whom waited patiently in a queue snaking far into Imperial Square and beyond, to get in.

Food and nutrition were high on the list of offers inside the Town Hall – some amazing caterers performing miracles with plant-based ingredients. Independent cake and savoury bakers working wonders with pastry or whipped dairy-free frostings. Artisan cheese-makers, dairy-free mayonnaise and coleslaw producers, raw food specialists and nutritionists added an incredible diversity to the products on offer. Visitors were also treated to a long list of excellent talks and workshops which approached food and nutrition in a variety of unique ways.

Let’s not forget either the organisations who are dedicated to changing our lifestyles. Shoe-makers doing incredible things with faux-leather goods, ethical clothing makers and sellers, cruelty-free cosmetics and powerful change-makers such as Friends of the Earth, Sea Shepherds, several animal sanctuaries and many inspirational speakers. I’m sure I’ve missed other contributors too, if that’s you, I’m sorry, my memory isn’t what it was!

For my part, my talk and demonstration around making cashew nut Boursin style ‘cheese’ was standing room only. But, as myself and many of the stall holders will tell you, being an independent small business which cares deeply about the integrity of what people are eating (or wearing etc.) and the environmental impact of we do, is not easy. There are trading weeks when it seems like nobody anywhere has any interest or regard for what artisan, cruelty-free businesses do. Then a day like Saturday comes along – once more faith in humanity is restored, positivity returns and we redouble our efforts to make a difference in our own, often small ways.

But who were those people queuing outside the Town Hall – waiting excitedly to shop, learn and eat inside? I was able to speak to many people after my demonstration, in the main hall. Naturally there were committed vegans exploring new possibilities on offer, and to purchase fresh, artisan foods and products not readily available in Cheltenham and the surrounding towns and cities on a daily basis. There were new vegans keen to learn more about the lifestyle they have adopted. Some people have made a conscious decision to eat healthier and live more ethically as part of a ‘flexitarian’ lifestyle and wanted to know more. I handed out my promotional literature and advice to the parents of recently vegan or vegetarian children, who came to support their kids and learn more about what they could do themselves. Essentially, people came because they cared. People who are open-minded and genuinely curious about how they could introduce changes into their lives in whatever way that looks for them.

I hope everyone returned home with some new ideas and refreshed and re-assured by meeting people who are daring to do things just a little differently. I know I did. I will return to selling to my food this week and promoting my business with renewed vigour, knowing that many people do care after all. It’s all too easy to lose sight of that and become lost and disillusioned in the melée of consumerism and populist media.

I will just sign off by acknowledging the work of Hannah Lawrence and Charlie Johnson. Despite having a very young family, they found the time to plan for and make Saturday happen. Along with an excellent, dedicated team of volunteers they delivered success, made a difference and made a major contribution to Dean Farm Trust – Cheltenham Vegan Fair was a non-profit making event. That should be an inspiration to all of us when we excuse ourselves from eating healthily and living more ethically because our busy lives – kids, jobs etc. – means we ‘don’t have time’.

Watch what you eat!

Andy.

Do you dislike SPIDERS? By Sali

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 21:59:33 GMT

My friend Jane told me that August is the month when they start coming out in force, which is not ideal if you are not keen on them. The good news is that they apparently hate cinnamon, lemon and peppermint oils. The even better news is that you can buy these oils. Waft the aromas around by putting them in your diffuser. Put a few drops of the oil in a water spray bottle and spray a mist of your concoction along the skirting boards or anywhere else you think they may be lurking nearby. You'll have them running for cover on their nasty little hairy spider legs in no time.

ORDER YOUR SPIDER REPELLING ESSENTIAL OILS HERE: https://uk.nyrorganic.com/shop/saligreen/area/shop-online/category/essential-oils/product/2202/cinna...

Read about spiders here: http://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/community/2015/09/24/spider-season-upon-us

The Truth About Sugar & Calories - by Andy Tibbs

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 11:40:34 GMT

Once again, the mainstream food manufacturers have hit the headlines, with public health organisations demanding that the efforts to reduce sugar in mass-produced food should be further supplemented by calorie reductions in popular foods such as pizza, burgers, ready-meals and crisps. This applies to organisations like Pizza Hut, McDonalds and Starbucks as well as manufacturers of supermarket products.

Public Health England chief nutritionist, Dr Alison Tedstone, said "we have a serious problem - one in three children leave primary school either obese or overweight; if we want to tackle this we have to look at calories. There are a number of ways it can be done – we can reduce the size of the products or change the ingredients." NHS Choice suggests that on average people in the UK consume between 200 and 300 calories more than they should on a daily basis. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also said that whilst these initiatives are voluntary among manufacturers, the Government will be prepared to legislate if there is no satisfactory progress.

For me, it's a sad indictment of the UK we currently live in that improving the nation’s diet is based around making cheap, fat-filled foodstuffs healthier. The Americanisation of our high streets, our supermarket shelves and our food choices are the real enemy here. It's no accident that the cheapest, easiest foods for us to consume are also the unhealthiest. How could it be any other way? Cheap processed meat products are virtually glued together with heavily salted, congealed fat and water to make them appear larger. Ever wondered why frying cheap bacon leaves a pool of salty, fatty water in the pan? The cheap, greasy cheeses that melt all over these foods is highly addictive, leaving us craving more. The low nutritional values of mass-produced food are unsatisfying, leaving us feeling the need to eat more. Goodness me, when I was a child the humble British chip was perceived as the enemy. It’s positively saintly nowadays, when compared to other horrors inflicted on us.

Demanding that food producers make the cheap products we now take for granted healthier is not the solution, in my opinion. For as long as we demand them, the industry will continue to explore cheaper, even more ethically and environmentally unsustainable ingredients and processes in order to sell us our addictive fix more cheaply. A 20% reduction in the calorific content of a pizza or a reduction in its size will not save the nation’s health or more worryingly that of its children. We simply have to wise up and take a long hard look at what we eat and how we eat it. This applies to everyone, irrespective of their dietary choices – meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike are guilty of eating unhealthy, unsustainable junk foods on an epic scale.

There is no doubt in my mind that we have to eat far more fresh, properly cooked plant-based foods. For me, that is the basis for both my lifestyle and my business. For others it means at the very least they must introduce a more wholesome balance to weekly food consumption. As a follower of a vegan diet, I am continually lectured by meat-eaters on my protein consumption for example. In general, meat eaters eat far more protein than they need, I get plenty too, thanks for asking!

How? By eating my beans… black ones, red ones, white ones, brown ones, green ones and on pretty much a daily basis and in a variety of guises. During any given week I might eat Indian, Italian, Spanish, Thai, Chinese and English influenced meals and every one of the them has as its base pulses, fresh vegetables, beneficial fats from nuts, fruits, carbohydrates from potatoes, pasta or grains – all done up with amazing flavours. The end result being wholesome, nutritional balance with no compromise on taste and whipping up a decent meal needn’t take very long either, neither do you need to be a chef.

Eating meals with those nutritional contents even a couple of times a week will make a real difference and help reintroduce us to real foods again. We’ll weigh less and feel healthier. Here’s Jamie Oliver on the subject: “It's important for people to remember that 'no wonder ingredient is a golden bullet' for weight loss (or a healthy diet). Eat a 'rainbow' of healthy plant-based foods rather than focusing on the latest superfood fad.” He goes on to say “I recently lost 12 kilos quite quickly and I didn't do it through not eating. I ate a lot, more than I was used to. I pushed meat down, pushed veggies up, got more sleep and more movement.”

Wise words from a man who hasn’t exactly been a vegan’s greatest advocate in the past.

I’ll leave it there for this week, see you next time.

Watch what you eat!

Andy.

A Day in the Life of Someone Who Still Hasn't Unpacked from a Holiday 2.5 Weeks Ago - by Sali

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 12:44:27 GMT

Written by Sali Green for The Cheltonian Lifestyle column, Sept 2017

8.30am - Partner's alarm goes off. Wakes me from a strange dream where I'm working in an office in a city, and keep doing things wrong, like unplugging a hard drive and losing lots of information, meeting Cliff Richard and we are all showing off attempts at gymnastics but none of us are very good apart from Cliff who can jump really high onto bannisters.

8.45am - Get in the bath. Check social media replies and emails for work. Discover that a friend has been scammed for 2 grand by a villa website. Share it on Facebook (and here) to make others aware of this nasty affair. 'Holiday makers looking at Italy beware. I have been scammed by a very professional villa website on the Amalfi coast called amalfihomes.com. I am £2k poorer now due to being so stupid as are a lot of people. Thankfully I was alerted about it from someone who'd already been out there to discover their holiday villa didn't exist, nor did the company. I have time to sort something else out but a lot of very unhappy people cannot afford to. Its so disgusting and sickening. Apparently the Italian police are uninterested and I suspect this is a mafia run organisation on a grand scale from what I can gather. The website is still up and running. I have reported it but please share to stop this happening to anyone else. Feeling really crap right now.' - Helen from Tewkesbury

Apply eczema remedy to various parts of my skin. I think I might be intolerant of eggs, because I cut them out for a while and then I had some for a weekend breakfast and got big red itchy marks on my chin.

9.15am - Eat granola with cashew milk (topped with fresh banana and honey) that I bought from posh supermarket (which will remain nameless) even though I live nearer to a cost effective one. Like many other people I know, we get most of our shopping from the no-frills one and then pop over to the expensive one for a few bits and bobs that we love. Talking of food and shopping - I have a tip for you. For a few months I had discomfort in my stomach and it was big and bloated to proportions I'd not experienced before apart from when 'with child'. I didn't get round to visiting a nutritionist; the doctor couldn't find anything wrong, and I still haven't taken the York test that I ordered online. So I gave up gluten. Not absolutely and strictly, but mainly. Anyway my stomach went back to its old size and lost the bloatiness and discomfort within about 3 weeks. Much as I love bread and wheat products, it seems to have done the trick. So if you're struggling with similar, obviously see a doctor in the first instance, but you can also help yourself by cutting out certain food items. A couple of weeks later, re-introduce them and see if you notice any effects. I'm not qualified to give this advice, of course, but I'm speaking from experience and my own results. When I crave bread I either have oat cakes or rice cakes instead, or get some gluten free bread. There are plenty of alternatives when you start looking in to it. It may not be wheat you are intolerant of, so see what works and doesn't work for you. It's worth it when you eventually feel much better for doing it.

9.30am - Squeeze in an hour's work and some admin. Have just moved house and mostly still haven't unpacked from that (as well as the holiday), or changed my address over on paperwork and bank accounts. This must happen soon, but doesn't time fly?

10.30am - Meet lovely client at quiet venue in town that allows dogs. Interview client for social media and catch up on each other's lives.

11am - Back to the office for full focus on work.

1.30am - Drop aunt to hospital appointment about one of her eyes. She's seriously injured it in a rusty washing line incident and currently has no sight in it. It's extremely painful and they are doing everything they can to save her sight. Thank you Cheltenham & Gloucester Hospitals for your wonderful care of her. She has an operation coming up soon.

3.30pm - Fit in more work

6pm - Partner returns from work and we cook a curry, drink red wine, play Bananagrams and then watch some mutually agreed series on TV. I fall asleep on the sofa; he watches a couple more episodes. Since moving in together we've been trying new recipes from my collection of cookery books that I had never used. We've done fish pie, Thai curries and Melanzane alla Parmigiana so far, as well as a Greek salad I copied from when I went to Zante. Folks treated my sister and me, our children and themselves to a chilled out, memorable holiday this summer where we lazed around, explored a bit and ate and drank loads. As you do in these scenarios. I am so grateful as I came back feeling refreshed and soaked in sun. I travelled light, and while I was away I read 'The Peaceful Warrior' - a good read if you are interested in self development.

Tomorrow night I'm going out for chips and wine with some girlfriends. We want to get together and not spend much money doing so. Chips and wine seems like the perfect solution. What is your favourite place to go in Cheltenham when you meet up with friends?

This has been a different kind of column than I normally write, but I needed to do one that can be written in 30 minutes and here it is. Wishing you a great month and hope to catch you again next time! x

Spill The Beans - by Andy Tibbs

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 12:35:07 GMT

A weekly blog discussing contemporary food and nutrition topics, by the Owner and Head Chef of Poco Culina, Andy Tibbs.

A weekly blog discussing contemporary food and nutrition topics, by the Owner and Head Chef of Poco Culina, Andy Tibbs.

In a week that has once again seen contaminated eggs become headline news, it’s an opportunity for everyone to reflect on just exactly what they are eating. Like many people, you may well be very particular about your eggs, ensuring that you buy only free-range eggs from UK farms or even purchasing eggs from local producers at Farmers’ Markets or Farm Shops. Also, many supermarkets highlight the fact that they sell only fresh eggs bearing the British Red Lion stamp of quality. Here comes the BUT though…

Supermarkets including Asda, Morrison’s, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose have been hastily removing products containing contaminated eggs from the Netherlands from their shelves. These are mostly fresh sandwiches and salads, filled with cheap, non free-range eggs mass produced outside of the UK. And let’s not get started on the sheer volume of eggs incorporated into a huge range of mass produced products on the same supermarkets’ shelves. It is simply not possible for you, the shopper, to make any value judgement on the integrity of those products. Double standards? Hypocrisy?

Well, here’s what Ian Jones, chairman of British Lion Egg Processors, said: “We believe shoppers are growing increasingly concerned about the ingredients used in manufactured food and now more than ever want and deserve transparency on food packaging. The British Egg Industry Council believes that this is a great opportunity for retailers to listen to the concerns of their customers and reassure them by specifying the use of British eggs and using the ‘Made with British Lion eggs’ logo on packs.”

My catering business, Poco Culina , is entirely plant-based. Whilst I have no intention of this blog being just a platform to advocate veganism, it is however my belief that we all need to consider more deeply what we are eating, where it comes from and how it was made. The damage being to done to health and the environment by irresponsible food producers cannot continue unabated. We all need to take far more care in what is being sold to us, irrespective of our individual dietary choices.

My approach, as a Chef, is to research ingredients and cooking techniques that use fresh, single origin ingredients cooked to traditional, mainly Eastern methods. Indian cooking is particularly exciting to me. Take fairly familiar Indian foods such as onion bhaji or vegetable pakora, they are bound together with seasoned batters made very simply with gram (chickpea) flour and water – no eggs or butter required. Similarly, dosa – Indian pancakes – are made from batters made with soaked pulses – urad dal, moong dal, chana dal, red dal and so on, all of which are split peas or varieties of lentil. The ever popular Middle Eastern falafel too is made from soaked and puréed chickpeas. Made properly, there should never be any need for eggs to bind them together. Not only are these products deeply nutritious but they taste amazing too. But then you know that, you will all no doubt have eaten and enjoyed them.

That’s all for this week, see you next time.

Watch what you eat!

Andy.

www.pococulina.co.uk

THERAPY FOR ANXIETY, PANIC, DEPRESSION, LOW SELF-CONFIDENCE & PHOBIAS - by Sali

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 14:45:01 GMT

Written by Sali Green

I've been going to my therapist for over a year now - maybe 2. At first we did a course of about 6 or 8 sessions. It was during session 2 when I had the light-bulb moment that I could learn to be in control of my thoughts, to a greater extent than I had ever been, rather than letting my thoughts be in control of me. I won't bore you with the details of the years of problems I had, all stemming from anxiety and a precarious mindset. Anyway now I see Lorna for a top-up session about twice a year and she also provides support over email when needed. I have to say, I've never been in such a good place mentally, and I'm not sure I would have reached that place without her help.

Today I went to Lorna The Mindset Coach for hypnotherapy for the first time - normally our consultations have involved psychotherapy but for one particular issue we decided that hypno would be best. It was a great session; I reclined on the comfortable couch while she talked me into a deeper and deeper state of relaxation and then put strong positive suggestions into my subconscious mind to replace the negative, fearful ones. She's helped several of my friends too. So I can recommend Lorna's method of therapy from a personal perspective and also from seeing the progress those friends have made / are making.

Lorna specialises in managing anxiety, panic, depression, low self-confidence and phobias.

As Eckhart Tolle says in The Power of Now, 'To recognise one's own insanity is, of course, the arising of sanity, the beginning of healing and transcendence.' He believes we are all part of a collective insanity. We can't change anyone else's behaviour but we can start to improve things by taking responsibility and changing our own.

http://www.yourmindsetcoach.co.uk/

Stop Showing off Frances - by Fanny Snaith

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Tue, 18 Jul 2017 15:22:40 GMT

Written & contributed by Fanny Snaith

“Stop showing off Frances!”. The words hit me like a brick. I jolt to a stop, hang my head in shame and back towards the door. Once outside, huge tears roll down my reddened cheeks, whilst I try to work out which feeling is the strongest – humiliation, shame, or anger. Humiliation takes first place with shame coming in a close second. There is no room for anger so that is shut out – rejected. Sibling rivalry encourages me to believe that certain siblings, who were privy to the exchange, are smirking at my abasing. Probably fantasy on my part but it feels real enough at the time.

Leaving home for boarding school at 7 was almost a relief. Maybe this was to be a place for me to shine? A place where I could 'show off' without being reduced to a mere morsel of myself by the lashing of a tongue, from a mother who would mow us all down with her words, time after time.

Boarding school was different. I was no longer a show off. I advanced from show off to simply not being good enough. As the youngest boarder, my confident, wanting to shine self, was soon hushed. My dorm mates poked and jibed me. They pushed me to undertake the most inexcusable dares. All of which I undertook with a unsuspecting smile, desperately wanting to gain their approval. My efforts were futile however, as they had already decided that I would never match them, in worldliness, wealth, possessions or influence. Or was that what I had decided?

Nonetheless, my now 8 year old courage endured, as I endeavoured to make them laugh, offered to make their beds, pretended I liked what they liked, danced and sang along with them all.

Then came the words from the most officious matron – “Stop showing off Frances!”. Bang! There I go, back to the abyss of misery and unsureness. Humility, shame, embarrassment oozing through my every pore, whilst the other girls laugh and jeer. I dive into my bed like a rabbit down a rabbit hole, as far down the bed as I can - and I cry. The humility and shame are colossal. The message is clear. Never put my head over that parapet of doom again. Stay low girl. Stay thwarted – the life of shine is not for you!

Wind forward 30 years and I see myself having developed a hard wired belief that repeats pattern like - over and over again, but now I don’t need the trigger of another – I can shame and humiliate myself single handily.

Clever eh? How does it work? This is it… stay low. Somehow, someone sees some talent in me and helps me onto the stage. Happy days for a bit, with me hanging about in the wings. Then after a while, I bravely take a step forward towards the light. But I have barely put my toe into the circle of the spotlight before I withdraw, moving myself back to where I belong, in the shadows. Fearful that those words will be expressed again. They probably already have, but they were out of earshot.

Only by now, all these years later, the anger is rising. I am no longer able to reject it. “I DESERVE TO SHINE!” - my unconscious shouts. “I know I have much to offer. I can help people.” But unconscious whispers back “don’t be foolish, child, you will just look stupid – as you will be showing off. Stay back, stay safe. Stay in the shadows.”

I am so grateful for my 50s mid life crisis. For it was then that the anger reached its summit. It surfaced not as rage however, but as a hunger for The Why? A quest to find out why those feelings would show up every time a flash of opportunity came my way, spoiling… well, everything. For the last couple of years I have read, I have listened, I have learned and I have expressed. And wow! Have I accomplished a lot and no, I am not 'showing off'.

The knowledge I have gained now helps me to help other people. It helps me understand how I can move forward with a clear conscious. I have forgiven my darling Mum, that matron, and my smirking siblings (even if they weren’t guilty!).

I can now see that the problem was mine, not theirs. I am in control of how my feelings show up and what they are attached to.

So now things can change. I have decided that being a show-off is what I need to be. That singing and dancing is not just for the films, it is for me too. I will step into the circle of the spotlight and lift my chin and smile. For if I can sing, and if I can dance then I can shine. If I allow myself to shine, then who can I be? I am not sure. But I am very much looking forward to finding out.

There are a bunch of amazing people in my life, who, probably without knowing it, have led me to understand that I no longer need to worry about 'showing off'. Today was the first day that I found the phrase “I want to show off”. I will say it daily. These are the people I would like to thank for helping me get to where I am today…

Tricia Sterry http://www.blockclearance.com

Di – Dickenson, a beautiful human being who will be the best Block Clearance Therapist very soon.

Neil Snaith, my husband and so much more.

Connie and Wren Snaith, my children.

Deborah Price http://moneycoachinginstitute.com/

Sarah Dena - www.facebook.com/Sarah.L.Dena

Maxine Smith - www.bodyawarenesstherapies.co.uk

Robin Waite - http://robinwaite.com/

Cindy Davis – http://thefgcoach.com/

Carie Lyndene - http://carie-lyndene.com/

Martin Croft – www.thethoughtbusiness.com

Sali Green - https://www.iwork4uglos.co.uk/

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Vivid Memories Recovered with Sound Therapy - by Sali

cheranne@iwork4uglos.co.uk (Cheranne Hack) — Mon, 22 May 2017 16:55:30 GMT

Written by Sali Green, owner at iwork4uglos

How is your memory? Do you find that it's become increasingly worse over the years, both long and short term? In this article I'm going to tell you what happened when I went for SOUND THERAPY the other day.

Holistic therapist Rebecca McCorquerdale asked if I'd go along as one of her final case studies for sound therapy qualification. It sounded interesting and soothing, and I'm not one to turn down the opportunity of anything holistic, so we booked a date and before I knew it the day had arrived. I was uptight and a bit stressed. I'd had a furniture-related minor head injury the night before and still had a pounding headache, not to mention the 3 glasses of red wine I'd consumed the same evening. Rebecca welcomed me in to the haven of peace and calm she's created at her home, where the aroma of essential oils wafted around in the atmosphere. She seemed so relaxed and serene it was like she floated towards the kitchen to get me a glass of water, whilst I trailed behind feeling rushed, heavy and drained. Of course, the next thing was that I offloaded all my pent up feelings and related the story of the computer sliding off a chest of drawers and hitting me in the head. I was in anxiety mode, worrying that the head injury was never going to heal and would continue to get worse. I tend to get these thoughts that spiral out of control if I let them. Rebecca took it all in her stride. It didn't bring her down to my level. She knew that by the time she'd finished with me, she'd be sending me off in floaty mode just like her.

Back in the purple holistic haven, I sat on her chaise longue while she leaned on the treatment couch, explaining to me a brief history of sound therapy and how it's used and what it does. She said she'd be drawing on the natural energy from the earth and using the wonderful vibrations of sound from the tuning forks to rebalance my mind, body and spirit. There was also mention of dowsing and chakras.

Well - not only did Rebecca do all of what was mentioned, but also with these hypnotic sounds she also conjured up something quite unexpected in me. What started to unfold in my mind, once a state of relaxation and calm had been reached, was an unfolding of distant memories.

My anxious mind started to fight this at first, worrying that when your life's events flash before you, something's up! I reassured myself that this wasn't a 'life flashing before me' scenario. In fact it was all at a leisurely pace.

I used mindfulness just to bring things 'back in the room' for a while - feeling Rebecca's calm presence at my side, and picturing my bag in the corner of the room. I was still very much here, and we hadn't moved on to another world. So gradually I allowed those memories to flow back in. They weren't in order; they were jumping to different parts of my life - mostly early childhood. The thing that astounds me here is that these are things I have not recollected for a very long time, if at all. In the title of this article I've used the word 'vivid'. It's not an exaggeration. We're talking right down to the fabric, texture and pattern of the pale blue silky embroidered bedspread in my grandmother's spare room in Birmingham; her shoe rack in the wardrobe, filled with shoes that had molded to the shape of her bunions; the geraniums in her conservatory; feeding the fish in her pond, and going to Cannon Hill Park, feeding ducks and seeing red squirrels. Right down to the whole family playing ping pong, and the stale Weetabix she kept in the larder. She died decades ago. I also visited memories of my other grandparents - even the day we left their old home near Tewkesbury and moved to Cheltenham - down to the exact feeling of looking out of the window across the garden and saying goodbye to it. I would have been under 5 years old then. I remembered sitting at the dining table at the flat in Pittville, eating curried mince with potatoes and peas with my grandparents and cousin. We were still so little. I remembered exactly what Nanna said to us when we mashed our potatoes into the sauce: "You're making a right pussy's dinner out of that!" (and she hadn't heard of Hip Hop).

This trip down memory lane came to the point where tears began to flow. I could feel them rising up in me and this brought me back to being 'in the moment' again, because I suddenly felt conscious of my tears welling up and the slight embarrassment of that. I said this to Rebecca who opened the curtains slightly and said we would 'hold the space' for a while. The tears came and some snivelling too. I didn't feel embarrassed any more. I just felt what a big thing this was to me... all these memories that I didn't think I could ever have accessed again. They were precious. Next came Rebecca's turn for some emotion. When this happened I felt so privileged. It was like time stood still. Everything in our lives leading up to that point had brought us there, and we appreciated it and its depth. Rebecca felt a couple of messages for me that she had to say out loud - something that had cropped into her mind that she felt she had to pass on to me. Something about me being a warrior, and to stand my ground.

Along with memory-gate, there was also a physical reaction during the tuning forks therapy. A heightened sensitivity in one place, which apparently then gets attuned and balanced by the sound therapy.

I've certainly felt a lot better ever since.

I wonder what sound therapy will hold for you?

To discover more about sound therapy you can connect with Rebecca on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaMcCorquodaleHolistics/

https://www.iwork4uglos.co.uk/omazing-grace

5 Quick Tips for Your Business & Lifestyle

Fri, 12 May 2017 21:20:23 GMT

super simple tips & ideas

1) The Default Diary

The default diary is such a simple but useful way to organise your business and home life. Choose a colour that represents each type of way you spend your time. To give you an example, I use purple for meetings, orange for my Top Dog clients / consultations, green for down time and fun stuff, and blue for admin and my directory clients. When I look at my diary I see at a glance how the day or month is looking. And I make sure there is consistency. So every Wednesday and Friday morning I’m in meetings. Every Monday and Tuesday I’m in the office doing admin and promoting my clients. Thursday I go to appointments, see my mum, etc. I can recommend this if you fancy giving it a try – it works! Let me know how you get on. Thank you Robin Waite for this idea.

2) Lido Membership for the Summer

Adult membership for the whole season is £134 and there are also family memberships and concessions. Choose one that suits you and get down to the Lido! You’ll be keeping fit, getting fresh air, socialising / people-watching and also supporting a Cheltenham treasure.

http://www.sandfordparkslido.org.uk/season-tickets/

3) Safe Sun Cream

Many (or even most) sun creams have ingredients which are not beneficial to your skin or your bloodstream. If you would like a gentler alternative then do your research on Google or ask someone who knows about natural alternatives, and find a brand which is kinder. You may also wish to support the cruelty-free movement by selecting a sun cream that has not been used in laboratory experiments involving excruciating pain on restrained animals. Another thing to research if you’d like to know more. For ideas check out Sal's Green Beauty Shop .

4) Reviews Make a Difference

If you have recently eaten at a restaurant or used a local business where you received exceptional service and high quality products, take 5 minutes to leave them a review on Facebook, Google or TripAdvisor. They can then use these as testimonials for their business and it helps with their business rating and reputation.

You can make a difference just with a tiny bit of your time and effort.

However if you have something negative to say, don’t say it where others can read it. The kindest and most helpful way to deal with your dissatisfaction is to go straight to the business, by email or private message or in person, and explain exactly what it was that you felt was wrong. This gives them the opportunity not only to restore your faith in them, but to put it right for their other customers as well. You are actually doing them a favour with your honesty, and can ideally get your message across as gently as possible without them being offended. A good business owner will thank you for this, knowing that you could have gone public with it and damaged their reputation.

5) What You Can Control and What You Can’t

We hear of increasing cases of anxiety, stress and depression. This is bad news. The good news is that there is a cure, and the key is all in your own mindset. I can speak from personal experience because after having GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder) for many years I happened to meet a therapist who has helped me sort it out. Living with anxiety was not a fun way to live – for me or those around me, although I must thank them for their huge patience in dealing with me. Anyway last week my therapist drew me a chart of what you can and can’t control, and I want to share it because if you do suffer from a similar struggle, I feel sure that this is going to help you. It’s a simple diagram of things you can and can’t control. If you focus on the things you CAN control, you are already going to start feeling stronger, more confident and more empowered. Leave the things you can’t control to sort themselves out – they are not your bus to drive!

And 2 more things...

Cocktail of the Month

Do you like a good, strong cocktail with a deep, fruity, delicious flavour and plenty of rum? If you do then you’re going to love our Cocktail of the Month. You will find this beauty at Marinades of Cheltenham. It’s Wendy’s speciality.

Business book recommendation

The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins has been recommended to me by Cindy Davis, The Feel Good Coach . Haven’t read it yet but she was raving about it so I think it’s a good one to read, or listen to, next. https://melrobbins.com/

email: sal@iwork4uglos.co.uk
facebook: www.facebook.com/iWork4uGlos
tweet me @iwork4uglos

My Journey with a Business Coach

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 12:06:18 GMT

what goes on in a coaching session with Robin Waite

How did I stumble across Robin Waite?

I met Robin briefly when he came along to a business lunch I was organising. Later I connected with him properly when Kat from Sharpfox recommended that he joined our directory. (Thanks Kat!)
I was curious about how he had transitioned from the owner of a branding and web design business to a full-on business coach, so I joined his closed Facebook group ' Online Business Startup ' to get more acquainted, seeing as I was going to be promoting him on social media. I wanted to know what to say about him. One day I had a Facebook notification telling me that Robin Waite was streaming live to the group. I tuned in, listened to a couple of stories he was telling and realised there and then that a business coach isn't just something for other people -this was relevant to me as well. Obviously several other people felt the same because they were commenting on the video as it went along. From then on I was interested to work with Robin more closely, to find out if his tips and guidance would translate well to my own business. It turned out they really could.

What do we do in the coaching sessions?

My first session was an eye-opener. Robin turned up in his casual look of jeans and t-shirt. I found this more relaxing and friendly than someone in a suit. He was quiet at first, allowing me to waffle on about everything I wanted to talk about, before he steered the conversation around to beneficial questions and issues. He was listening intently to figure me out and find out about me and my business. I was surprised at how long the session was - I had expected one hour but he told me it was going to be 2 hours. This time flew by once we got going. He correctly worked out that I'm a very visual person and used diagrams for illustrating his ideas for me. I realised I had been plodding along with no direction, constantly going up all sorts of dead end paths, procrastinating and being easily distracted. Robin made me realise that it was time to focus, fine-tune my offering and manage my working hours.

In the monthly sessions that followed we covered all sorts of things - turnover, packages, subscriptions, co-workers, clients, enquiries, 'default diary', time management, social media scheduling, processes, strategy, ideas, branding, passion for what I'm doing, business growth, capacity - to name but a few. These were things that I used to just leave to chance. Now I was beginning to understand them and use them for the benefit of my clients and myself. Lightbulb moments were coming thick and fast. Sometimes they can be fun; sometimes they are harder work because Robin has to listen to me repeating the same old routine and moany things, and detect what I need, turn things around, and send me away feeling positive and excited about the next phase in my work. Robin has the ability to wade through the information overload which washes over him like water off a duck's back, and get to the important points, thinking outside the box, and translating his thoughts and suggestions into something I can easily understand.

To summarise what we do for the sessions: we meet for a coffee, talk, listen, brainstorm, discuss, decide, and Robin will send me away with a small list of instructions to implement. I am then armed with ideas and improvements to make and I try to do these as soon as possible so that they don't get overlooked.

What happens as a result?

As a result of a business coaching session with Robin I have plenty of advice from him which needs to sink in. This generally leads to a breakthrough in my thinking and how I go about running my business. Some of the instructions are so simple that I wonder why I didn't think of them myself. Once I put them into place, I see immediate results. This is no exaggeration. These are some of the very solid results that have happened directly from our sessions:

1) My turnover has doubled.
2) I have more enquiries and more clients. (Some of whom are referrals from Robin.)
3) I am more organised and professional.
4) I work towards goals that we have set and see them come to fruition.
5) I have grown in confidence.

How can you work with Robin Waite?

You can work with Robin in several ways. His one-to-one coaching sessions are booked up at least a month in advance so you can apply for a breakthrough session and arrange a meeting. You can attend one of Robin's seminars to gain business advice, join his group and read his book ' Online Business Startup '. You can enroll on his e-learning programme .
I have seen the demand for working with Robin steadily grow, so I do suggest making contact to begin your journey to doubling your turnover in 6 months, which will be his aim for you too!

Here's Robin's website so that you can get started: https://robinwaite.com/

Making a Comeback

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:05:41 GMT

How to start your own business after a career letdown - guest blog by Jason Lewis of Strongwell

Experiencing a career setback - such as reduncancy, being passed over for a promotion, or dealing with changes in your job description - can feel overwhelming. You may feel a little lost at times, and your self-esteem may have taken a hit. Depending on the situation, you may either feel undervalued or completely expendable, both of which can take a toll on your mood and even your physical health.

The good news is that there are some things you can do to take control of your career and, by extension, your life. It’s important to remember that you are valuable, and if you’re ready to change things up and strike out on your own, there are some simple ways to get started. Here are some of the best.

Take some time

One of the first things you should do after your experience is to take some time away from things. Whether it’s for a weekend getaway or just a day off, carve some time out of your schedule to focus on yourself and your needs and take a breath. This is especially important if you’re feeling low; getting away from things for a bit will allow you to calm down, reset, and potentially start a plan for the next move.

Figure out your goals

Your goals may have changed since your setback, or maybe you’re not even sure what they are at the moment. That’s okay! It’s normal to feel as though you’re floundering for a moment after an upheaval of your professional life. The key is to sit down and think about what you want to do next, and be honest with yourself. Do you really want to start sending out resumes to similar companies or confront your boss about why your co-worker received a big promotion over you, or would you rather strike out on your own and start a business? Think about what it would take to make you happy.

Make a plan

Mapping out a plan for your next career move can feel overwhelming, but remember, you’re just in the planning stages. This is the fun part! You can really get creative here. Do you have a skill or a service you can provide? Are you arty or good with cake decorating? There are plenty of online outlets for your business; the key is narrowing down what you want to do. Once you have a few ideas, do some research to find out what similar businesses might exist in your area and think about how your business would differ. Standing out in the crowd is a big part of starting your own company.

This is a good time to start thinking about whether you want to go into business alone or with a partner . This can be a good friend or a loved one, but it should be someone you trust and have a good rapport with. Starting a business can be a stressful undertaking, and you’ll need someone there who will have your back and can pick up the slack when you need a break.

Think about your online presence

Whether you’re going to have a bricks-and-mortar store or an online-only presence, it’s important to think about how you’re going to attract customers and what you want the design of your business to be, both inside and out. If you plan on opening an online shop, it’s essential to have an effective website for your business . You will also want to maintain a good social media presence, which means opening and keeping up with accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at the very least to keep customers engaged and to attract new fans. The same is true if you plan on being an online-only business.

Talk to someone who’s done it

It will be extremely helpful if you can speak to someone who has experience in opening up their own business, whether it’s a local business owner or an individual who has started their own company online. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and request some advice on getting started; you never know where the great ideas will come from!

Moving away from a career you’ve worked hard to build is never an easy decision; however, it comes down to your desire to create a future that is both sustainable and can make you happy, and that’s never a bad thing. With a good plan and a little time, you can build something new that you can be proud of.

About Jason

Jason Lewis is a personal trainer in Delaware. In 2002 he became the primary caretaker for his mother after her surgery. He realised, as he helped her with her recovery, there is a special need for trainers that can assist the seniors in our communities. Jason worked with his mother’s doctor, as well as other personal trainers, to create programs that are considerate to the special health needs of those over the age of 65.

http://strongwell.org

For a personal training in Cheltenham we recommend Sam at Hands On Wellbeing Centre .

Wisdom, Wellbeing, Inspiration & Dancing Ken

iwork4uglos@gmail.com (Sali Green) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 10:56:55 GMT

Sal's column for The Cheltonian

People who inspire

Our emergency services are sometimes described as angels. Following the fatal accident in Cheltenham, it was reported that passers-by have praised the emergency services who attended the scene and tried so hard to help Anna Rys. Also recently at the Houses of Parliament attack, doctors bravely ran towards the scene, knowing how dangerous it might be for them. We are so lucky to have these people serving the community every day, putting the lives of others before their own.

Someone else who has been an inspiring person in his own individual, eccentric way is Dancing Ken. If you have been in Cheltenham a while you are bound to have seen him. Ken created his own style and stuck to it - a bright, quirky, friendly and much loved man who over the years is believed to have raised close to a million pounds for charity. He was a great supporter of Cheltenham's animal shelter and a lover of live music who also got involved in politics, standing for parliament in the 2005 general election. I have a feeling that wasn't such a silly idea and he'd have been a more considerate politician than some of the people we see being voted in to power. Ken died in April, aged 81 - may he rest in peace, and we send love to his family.

Rumi’s wisdom

I have to admit I don’t remember hearing of Jalaluddin Rumi until my boyfriend showed me a book of Rumi wisdom, and since then I’ve noticed people sharing Rumi quotes now and then. They are always wise. Here is a selection of them:

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.
When I am with you, we stay up all night. When you're not here, I can't go to sleep. Praise God for those two insomnias! And the difference between them.

Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.
Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

Business book recommendation

I’ve been having sessions with business coach Robin Waite . He’s very good and has helped me double my turnover in just a few sessions. During one of our meetings he handed me a book called Oversubscribed by Daniel Priestley. There are some very good insights in the book and excellent advice on subjects such as capacity and pricing. If you are a business owner this book is definitely for you.

You are what you eat

Every 35 days, your skin replaces itself. Your liver takes about a month. Your body makes these new cells from the food you eat. What you eat literally becomes you. You have a choice about what you are made of. Eat wisely. These words are from Dr Don Colbert.

Toxic people – is it always someone else?

I’ve been noticing a phrase for a few years, about people being ‘toxic’ in others’ lives. It’s a good description of how things can be when someone has negative effects on you. This can be in various ways – perhaps they drain you, talk about you behind your back, betray you, take from you, or you generally just don’t feel good around them. They don’t lift you up, encourage you, or want the best for you. There comes a time, for your own wellbeing, that you have to make the decision to let go of these people. I was thinking about this the other day when another thought came to me – it’s not always everyone else! We also have to look at ourselves and take responsibility for elements of toxicity. We may not think it, but perhaps we’ve been exactly that to a few other people along the way and didn’t realise it. Maybe we still are. I’m not saying to beat ourselves up about this, but just to recognise it and continue with self-development, and commit to be positive and more loving from now on. As the motto from my son’s old school goes – ‘always be kind’.

Ackee & Saltfish recipe

Put saltfish to soak in cold water for about 1 hour. Pour off water; add fresh water and boil until tender. Heat your favourite oil or butter and sauté onion, garlic, scallions, tomatoes, scotch bonnet pepper and sweet pepper until tender, about five to six minutes. Add flaked saltfish, a can of ackee and black pepper. Can also add a sprig of fresh thyme, a pinch of paprika and a good grind of black pepper.

Here are a few more pics - thanks for reading my blog! x

Email: sal@iwork4uglos.co.uk

Website: https://www.iwork4uglos.co.uk – the iwork4u directory has a fresh new look. Let us know what you think!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/iWork4uGlos
Tweet me @iwork4uglos

What do you need money for?

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:31:05 GMT

CROWDFUNDING FOR GLOUCESTERSHIRE IS HERE!

GlosFund is relaunching soon and iwork4uglos is helping them collect a list of local businesses and projects that want to raise money for all sorts of projects.

For example we have on the list so far:

1) Lu Farrelle , a local businesswoman who has designed her own ' botaniclean ' eco cleaning products and needs funds to have the product scientifically tested (not on animals) for safety and then bringing them to market.

2) Elley Westbrook who helps refugees - here she explains in her own words..

'I am trying to raise £10,000 to send a van down to Hot Food Idomeni to be used as rapid response vehicle to feed freezing and extremely hungry refugees. It can be deployed all over Europe where ever there is need. I'd actually like to be able to supply a small fleet... but first things first.
I have launched a just giving page and in less than 24 hours we have raised £580 which is incredibly encouraging. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/elley-westbrook…

Just for a bit of background: I first became involved in the refugee crisis in Europe about 18 months ago when in response to what I was seeing on my television screen I collected a car boot full of aid (it was mad - the TV cameras turned up to the Langton car park and people just bought loads of provisions!) and drove over to the Calais Jungle. I have been involved ever since. At first I tried just getting involved by collecting aid and getting involved with a charity called People in Motion http://www.people-in-motion.co.uk but I couldn’t stay away and have returned many times to different camps in Northern France, where I have been blown away by the amazing, resilient people. I go whenever I can and have taken the kids to help too. I now have 2 Jungle sons that have made it to the UK and who are now part of our family. They live in two different cities in the UK but just like my birth sons come home at any opportunity.

During my ‘day time job’ life I cook, write recipes and have a couple of magazine columns writing about all things Aga. I also teach new Aga owners how to cook on their cookers. It seems to be two worlds I inhabit that are miles apart!

We can’t change refugees' circumstances very easily, that takes governments, but we can help feed them and we do; we also clothe them and wherever possible we build them shelters. Just recently I have been helping build shelters and fitting little home-made stoves to keep them warm in Northern France. We found five unaccompanied children in the last small camp and were able to get them to local authority safety. Volunteering is an extremely varied experience.'

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3) A local woman (me) who wants to raise money to privately Fund Someone's Therapy
- I have a list of people who would benefit hugely from this and who are struggling, but cannot afford to get the mindset coaching they need, and the NHS waiting lists are at least 3 months long.

4) A local counsellor who needs to purchase radiators and light boxes for her clients.

The man who is going to help us, and lots of other local people, to raise funds for things like this is James HJ Phelps of GlosFund .

Email me sal@iwork4uglos.co.uk or contact Cheranne Hack with your project and fundraising needs and we will add you to the list, and start to help you as soon as we can.
Follow GlosFund on FACEBOOK .

www.saligreen.co.uk/crowdfunding.html

Kindness, Wisdom, Minimalism & Bluebells

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:11:29 GMT

The Kindness Diaries

I'm inspired by people who have a positive energy, are kind and know how to listen and be calm. With friends I've been watching The Kindness Diaries where an ex London stockbroker rides his yellow bike (with sidecar) called Kindness One around the world, searching for the good in humanity. He takes no money with him (although he has a camera crew) and relies on people's kindness for his food and a place to stay. In some cases he and the crew decide to give something special back, such as toys, books, medicine and a water filter to an orphanage. It's a good watch, and so heartwarming to see the pure kindness in action. Who inspires you?

Rebeccah's Wisdom

My friend Rebeccah, who I met through social media, is wise, calm, knowledgeable and well-travelled. A real tonic to be around, as my Nanna would say. I asked Rebeccah to write a few words that I could pass on to you. Here is what she sent me..

‘I choose to feel nourished each day by making the choice to be on a Wellness Path. A Wellness Path supports a strong immune system, guides me into clarity for decisions I make daily for work and helps me to communicate in a positive way with family, friends and colleagues. This is a lot! I know that my environment defines how I respond to a person, a situation and even a food. So my first easy step onto this path is to really breathe. Do you know the type of breath I mean? It goes like this: go to a place where you can have some personal space, and keeping your focus on the base of your spine take a deep breath in through the nose and exhale forcefully through your mouth. Do this 10 times. This helps to rebalance both body and mind and manage any emotional distress.’

Got a spare month to read a book?

My favourite novel of all time so far is The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Gritty, humorous, dry, open, long, and with her own style of grammar where she sticks in capital letters at whim. It took me several attempts to get into it but I'm so glad I saw it through. Parts of it will remain with me always.

A bluebell secret for you

The best-known bluebell honeypot in the Forest of Dean is between Beechenhurst and Speech House, near Coleford, but locals prefer the area around Soudley, to the south-east. 'The whole woodland around the village becomes a blanket of blue and you can smell them even with the windows closed,' says smallholder Poppy Turpin-West. From the Dean Heritage Museum in Soudley a marked trail (green arrows) swings round and up Bradley Hill. Continue on the old Roman road towards Wenchford picnic site to wallow in a 'virtual lagoon of bluebells'.

The importance of a good logo

I heard a brief talk this month by local graphic designer Matthew Jolly of Jolly Good Design about the importance of branding in business. People are very visual; we only have moments to capture their attention. However large or small your business you need to have a logo and branding that they find attractive. Your branding needs to target your audience and can create trust and perceived value in your product or services. It doesn’t need to shout, but it needs to be tasteful and suited to your trade. People become familiar with it and it begins to speak for itself, and for you. People trust what is familiar to them. It is such an essential part of your business as it represents you, that it’s well worth paying someone to do an exceptionally good one for you. It's your 'shop window' - your first and lasting impression.

Do you do juicing?

Either making your own, or buying organic, cold-pressed juice is nutritious and makes your body happy and your skin glow. So many nutrients will reach your body, and much faster than if you were eating the fruit and veg.

I don’t bother much with eating fruit and I know I can get my required fix of it in a healthy juice or a smoothie. It’s also good for nourishing children who would otherwise turn their nose up at it. You need to put in plenty of vegetables, not just fruit. If you're in Gloucestershire you can have organic juice delivered to your door by Cotswold Juice Company .

Living with less

I have always wanted to clear my clutter and for some reason the process is still ongoing, but now I regularly feed my brain with information about minimalism and living with less. I watch several talks a week and listen to books on the subject. The benefits are amazing if you listen to the testimonials of those who have chosen to incorporate minimalism into their lifestyle, and realised that that less ‘stuff’ makes them happier. More time to enjoy life and travel; less time cleaning and worrying and wasting money. If you use the search words: minimalism, clutter clearing, living with less, and the tiny house project, you will find plenty to watch, listen to and be inspired by. It’s easier once you get started. In fact it feels GREAT! Could this be something that would improve your life too? Or are you already good at only having the things that you need or love?

More for your money! By Paul Montagu

Wed, 22 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Have you ever felt like your life is just, not where you’d like it to be? You’re making ‘to do’ lists, investing your energy into nurturing your ideas and plans but you have not seen a single sign of growth or return? It can often feel like that for all of us – this time of year especially, regardless of your career or ambition.

It’s a new year, which means we’ve (most likely) broken our unrealistic resolutions, and still haven’t been back to the gym. Our intentions are good, but good intentions don’t bring results. We then find ourselves at a cross roads, but it’s up to us to take action on opportunity, and get motivated to move! To find fulfilment in doing whatever it is we enjoy, while hopefully improving the lives of others is a good place to start.

That’s where I was three years ago. Having left my job in car sales in 2007 to work for myself in car trading, I still felt yet to find my purpose. I assumed that I would be happy by continuing to work within the motor industry, and I was on the right road, but buying and selling still just wasn’t for me – and the term ‘salesman’ certainly didn’t ring true in my case.

Car Helpers was still a mere idea while I continued to drift along in sales, although I was happy to not be working for someone else, on someone else’s dream. I used to be that grey-faced man in a suit and tie wishing it was five past five on a Friday evening. I had everything I needed but I knew something needed to change. Ironically, it was while living in those shallow waters I felt like I was drowning. I was over my head in sales targets, when all I wanted to do was talk about cars and offer my advice without an agenda.

I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life, whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. But I questioned my options, ‘how could I help? What could I do?’ Well, I knew about two things – cars and counselling! I have, after all, always possessed an insatiable obsession with cars, and my knowledge of automobiles is hard pressed to beat. When I tell you my favourite car is the Porsche 911, I hope that resonates with my fellow car enthusiasts – isn’t she a beauty?!

Thankfully with the birth of my son, Theo, I was forced to take a step back and re-evaluate my career. It was then that I started my new business, initially called ‘The Deal Maker’, and now more aptly named ‘ Car Helpers ’. It is only now, three years on that I’m starting to see tangible growth. I believe things of quality, like classic cars, take time to produce, and I want Car Helpers to be a business that stands the test of time.

From scribbling the initial seedling of my idea on paper, to starting my own brand and watching Car Helpers grow into fruition, I now realise that anything is possible. If we first visualise what we want, if we keep our values and vision at the forefront of our day, and if we can believe our ventures will improve the lives of others, I believe we can see positive results.

However, I cannot take any credit for the success that Car Helpers receives, which is owed to my loyal customers. I am fortunate to attract the type of customer who needs well-researched advice on buying and selling a car in the current climate. My customers want to dodge getting swindled by the big dogs, while avoiding the likely chance of unnecessary add-ons and premium rates. Those who know me know that I’m not one to recommend or promote a service I wouldn’t benefit from; one that I know you will too.

‘I can proudly admit – I’m a person and not a computer!’

I take pride in my ‘soulful sales’ advice. I take time to get to know you and find out what you need – I don’t ask delving, personal questions and I won’t force you to tell me your deepest, darkest secrets, but I do care about the heart of your matter, whatever’s the matter.

Some call me ‘intuitive’ and some even call me ‘the car counsellor’, which is usually because we end up solving more than your car queries or sales costs. We may even end up with a cup of tea, putting the world to rights before we’ve even talked shop! But what can I say? I like to help, so if I can, I will. Whatever your car trouble, I assure you that after a visit to Car Helpers , you will leave knowing more and spending less.

I love building the Car Helpers brand, and whilst I combine that with being a husband and father, I’m happy with the direction life is headed. It’s not perfect – but whose is? I’m focused on spreading the word about my business, and being there for my family and customers.

‘I love helping people and love cars – I find the experience emotionally rewarding and hope you will too.’

This month’s top tip:

This month I’m offering specialist advice about car finance and residual values. When buying a new car, it is a common misconception to assume that spreading the cost with the offered car finance deal is your only choice. This may seem an attractive option, often due to poor explanation from the sales person selling you the car, who should be giving you honest impartial advice.

Did you know that a finance arrangement with a balloon or residual payment attached at the end of it doesn’t mean that the residual is yours to keep at the end? In fact, that residual is still owed to the finance company, and the type of agreement you sign determines your options when you have finished making the payments on your car.

I recommend that you check the small print thoroughly first before signing on the dotted line. Sadly, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Do your research, take time to ask questions and find out how much the car finance option will cost you in the long run. Don’t let sales people assure you that you are getting a good deal on the new car with finance. Remember, a big business will try and make as much money from you as possible. Good sales people don’t lie, they know the relevant information to best help and guide you to make the right decision.

Our Car Helpers service will prepare to sift through the sales jargon in your contract with ease. Our combination of unbeatable car knowledge and top-notch counselling is also not one to be missed! We promise to always do right by you and your pocket, so whether you have a new registration or car complication, call me at Car Helpers – because I care as much as you do.

My enlightened approach to Carhelpers; no contracts, no targets, no bias.

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve recently had an epiphany about the way I run Carhelpers , and I feel it’s important to share my revelation with you. Perhaps it’s due to my admittedly heartfelt approach to work, or that I’ve gained some fresh perspective on life and what matters most to me. Either way, things are changing for the better here at Carhelpers and I want to tell you why; you simply decide what my service is worth to you.

Let me explain…

As many of you know, my interest in cars is more of an obsession and from a young age I knew I would work in the industry. Being a car adviser has been the perfect career choice for me. I am able to combine my love for cars whilst striving to provide reliable and impartial advice. Working in the motor trade is the ideal opportunity for me to help people find the right car for them, whilst also saving them from being sold the wrong car.

The majority of sales people are genuine, caring individuals who only have your best interest at heart. I don’t believe there is anything wrong in selling if you are transparent and honest about what you are selling, although sadly there are those that see pound signs as soon as you enter their office. A customer often approaches buying a car from a very defensive standpoint, being wary that they are going to be miss-sold a motor that could be a drain on their resources; both financially and emotionally.

Honest, personable salesmen like Jim Rohn and Brian Tracy are examples to us all, often preaching the belief that you should never sell anything that you wouldn’t sell to your own mother. Some people even like to by cars with faults and fix them to sell on – which I totally stand by!

However, I feel slightly cynical about the way the motor industry seems to have become a commercial conglomerate of companies vying for your business, with staff taught to use every tactic in the book to ensure you part ways with your cash for their commission. I’ve grown so very dissatisfied with the current climate and question why business appears to be governed only by making money.

To me, my work is not simply about money; which in itself doesn’t ever offer any other satisfaction besides providing material needs. My service is run from my heart, not for my bank account. I love sharing my knowledge about cars and hope to give it to whoever needs it.

Innocent customers unaware of the unethical, methodical ploys planned before their appointment in the forecourt should be spared from signing away their consumer rights and satisfaction. I want to save them from being treated as a profitable opportunity; in my eyes, you are an individual in need of honest, unique advice, which doesn’t come from a script.

Since becoming a husband and father, I’ve grown as a person and realised something important about life – family matters. You and I, we all have family of some kind that we love and care about. The thought of my own family falling victim to daylight robbery is unbearable, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone else’s either. Living simply to make money is quite frankly very superficial and not something I want to model to my son, or to my customers and their families.

My time and attention always comes first, and I don’t wish to live by offering my help with a price tag. I listen, I advise, I help, and hopefully you’re happy. If not, I’ll work with you until you are, without pressure of commitment; just a mutual admiration and respect for each other.

I want to change the general perception of the motor industry by leading the way with integrity, showing our clients how we do things at Carhelpers . A successful business cares about its customers, and their needs come first. We are not commercial, heartless representatives in a suit and tie – we are just like you.

So how am I planning to banish this stigma? By offering my advice to you without a price. I help you, I provide the service you need, and you offer what you think is fair. If you’re happy, you can reflect that in your payment and I’ll respect and appreciate that. Do what you think is right and it won’t be wrong. I believe that by doing this, you will not only be guaranteed to receive a service that surpasses your expectations, but you are sure to have my continual support and commitment, whilst building a mutual trust and lasting friendship.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me here at Carhelpers for an honest, impartial advice service that you can trust. I really can and really will help you find the car of your dreams, whilst helping you avoid the nightmares.

How to promote your business for free!

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

iwork4uglos is a busy directory which lists and promotes lovely local businesses for a monthly fee. If you don’t have an advertising budget but would like to take advantage of our trusted, friendly community, then read our list of tips on how to market your business free of charge.

1. Take part in groups

Cheltenham Noticeboard , iwork4u Community and Local Business Network are examples of Facebook groups you can join and post about your business, but remember to READ THE RULES of each group before posting. https://www.iwork4uglos.co.uk/social-community

2.Add your event to our calendar

https://www.iwork4uglos.co.uk/events-form . Remember to include a featured image to draw attention to your event. Allow 1-2 days while we proof, approve and share your event.

3. Go along to a networking event Face to face is one of the best ways to grow relationships, gain trust and meet potential customers.

4. Like or follow local businesses on social media They will often like and follow back, and this grows your audience.

5. Share people’s posts If you like something – share it! Tag the person and/or their business and this could start a conversation, engagement or interaction.

6. Donate a raffle prize or goodie bag freebies

If you give a prize you will usually be mentioned or thanked by the event organisers and they will allow you to put your leaflet or brochure with the prize or freebies.