Famous landmarks around europe you can see when you book a cruise

Famous landmarks around europe you can see when you book a cruise

Est. Reading Time: 5 minutes

Famous landmarks around Europe you can see when booking a cruise

By Guest Contributor

If you have been longing for the open seas, but have limited time to plan for your exclusive experience, why not book a spontaneous getaway to treat yourself and your family to an unforgettable cruise vacation.

 

Whether its the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Rome, you can hardly turn a corner in Europe without stumbling upon an incredible landmark.

 

So go ahead and browse the cheapest option with last-minute cruise deals which will whisk you away on an unforgettable adventure to some of the most sought-after destinations of Europe.

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La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

1:

La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

An unparalleled achievement of the famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, La Sagrada Familia is the most grandest of all landmarks in Europe and probably on the planet as well.

 

The stunning exterior is a vivid display of spires, towers, sculptures and carvings that extend skywards to heights of 566 feet while the interior is reminiscent of a forest canopy. Scheduled to be completed in 2026, it will mark the 100 th death anniversary of Gaudi, buried in the script underneath.

 

Rome-colosseum

2:

Colosseum, Rome

 

Constructed more than two thousand years ago, the enormity of the Colosseum in Rome can be envisaged by its look which even resembles what it was when originally built, just east of the Palatine Hill.

 

This incredible engineering feat can be felt when walking the perimeter of this massive stone and concrete structure and its elliptical bowl shape. Note the retractable awning above which acted as as a shield from the elements for the 50,000 spectators who watched the brutal combat scenes.

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Trip-to-paris

3:

Eiffel Tower, Paris

The 1063 feet high Eiffel Tower stands like a beacon over the City of Lights and has become a landmark synonymous not only with Paris, but the whole of France as well. Initially a concept of Gustave Eiffel, a French engineer, for the 1889 World Fair, it only escaped demolition as it was considered to be a potential telecommunication tower.

No visit to Paris can be deemed complete without a selfie against the backdrop of this colossal iron frame towering in the distance. Moreover, the views of the city from the top, accessed by a combination of lifts and stairs, are unsurpassable,

This incredible engineering feat can be felt when walking the perimeter of this massive stone and concrete structure and its elliptical bowl shape. Note the retractable awning above which acted as as a shield from the elements for the 50,000 spectators who watched the brutal combat scenes.

Pisa, Italy 2025

4:

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Built way back in 1173, this unique bell tower built for the Pisa Cathedral was lopsided right from the start due to the uneven settling of the foundation below it. Despite efforts from architects to correct the tilt, this 185 tower still leans today to about 4 degrees off the vertical.

Alas, this engineering destabilization, has made the tower one of the most significant landmarks in Italy and one of the most famous monument in Europe. Thankfully, the white marble arcades have ensured that it is very much stable still and safe to climb its 251 steps as well.

Visitors are rewarded with excellent views of the entire cathedral complex and the surrounding Tuscan scenery from the top.

 

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Top Ten tips for travelling with children

Top Ten tips for travelling with children

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Our Top Ten tips for travelling with children

By Flagstone Travel

Travelling with children can be hectic and stressful, however, it doesn’t have to be. Recently on a flight to Johannesburg, I experienced an extraordinary lady who was attempting the 11-hour flight on her own with three little ones as her husband was meeting them there. She was calm, organised and full of tricks. So here are some of her tricks with a few added tips from me.

Top 10 tips for travelling with

1:
When booking your flights, or deciding which airline you want to fly with, check the flight regulations. By this I mean in terms of luggage, are you allowed to take extra bags, how far through can the pushchair go, can you pre-book seats together and is there an additional cost? What age group do your children fit into and will they be given a seat on the plane or are you going to have them on your lap?

2:
Be prepared, this is so important, so my advice is to bring snacks and as many as you can fit, as well as something more substantial. This will of course depend on the duration of your flight, but keeping their tummies full will help you keep them quiet, sit still and also sleep.

3:
Don’t forget wet wipes, whether your child is two or five they can still make a mess and you will be grateful for less sticky fingers.

4:
Bring distractions for your children with you whether it is a book/iPad/toys, pack some things to entertain your child, ideally, ones they can do sitting down in their seat and ones that do not make too much noise.

5:
If you are worried, explain to the passengers sitting near you that for example it is your first flight with your little one. This will help them to be more sympathetic if your child (and it will happen to us all) is the one screaming on a night flight because they can’t get comfortable or you can’t get them to sleep. Along this line another great ‘job’ if you have a three to five-year-old or similar is to get your child to offer a sweetie to the people sitting near you early on in the flight, it will earn some brownie points for later.

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6:
Pack a change of clothes for them and for you as well, just incase. You never know where a spillage can come from and you do not want to be caught off guard.

7:
If you are travelling on your own with one or more children, think of the type of bag you are taking, for example one that will fit under a pram, or a rucksack that you can wear that will leave your arms free, toddlers/children can wear one as well, fill it with their toys or games.

8:
Bring a child’s surprise plane bag, the first time I saw this was on the flight to Johannesburg, and it is an excellent idea. Firstly it works from a three-year-old to a ten-year-old. They will carry the bag, which is great to fill with their snacks or spare change of clothes. It is an exciting way for your children to start the holiday. It can be a small party bag with inexpensive goodies/presents, for example, a colouring book and crayons, that will keep them entertained throughout the flight.

9:
Arrive in plenty of time, pre-book your seats, if you can’t find what you want checking in online arrive early and ask for seats together.

10:
Pre-order anything you need for example food, milk or any medicine you might need whilst away, you can call ahead to the Boots in the departures area and pre-order this. On this not, it is also a good idea to take a little medical bag with some Calpol and necessities so that you are prepared.

After receiving some really helpful feedback from our clients who have tried and tested some of our tips, we have been given an extra couple of bonus tips which we would love to share with you…

Firstly: take a small puzzle, it is quiet and compact, not messy and can be reused numerous times especially if on a long-haul flight. 

Secondly: if space is an issue when packing, take one pen or pencil and a little packet of post it notes, these can be drawn on, used double sided and also stuck around the seats in front and will create another game, whether they draw numbers and count, draw pictures or learn new words, it will fill hours of your flight time. 

Hopefully, these extra bits will come in handy for your next flight with your little ones.

Grecotel Costa Botanica

Picture: Grecotel Costa Botanica

Tip: Speak to an expert who has visited these places and will add all the details such as car seats and children’s bath robes, pre book restaurants and help you to make everything as stress free as possible.

Speak to Flagstone Travel and quote BROOD

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Benefits & Considerations of Pensions for Children

Benefits & Considerations of Pensions for Children

Est. Reading Time: 6 minutes

Benefits & Considerations of Pensions for Children

By Liam Hunt – Managing Director of Prestfield Wealth Management & Dad of One.

Liam has 20 years of experience working for Retail and Private Banks in both an advisory and managerial capacity. In 2017 Liam co-founded Prestfield Wealth Management and he is responsible for the vision and growth of the Practice.

As parents, many of us have the desire to save for our children’s future, but we may also have concerns about giving them full access to the money at a young age. This is a common dilemma I’ve seen by parents over the years. We want to ensure that the money we put away for our children is not wasted, and that it can truly benefit them in the long run and not spent on their first trip to Ibiza!

One solution that often goes unnoticed is setting up a pension for your children. It may come as a surprise, but even newborns are eligible for a pension, just like working adults. Parents and guardians have the option to establish pensions for their little ones and make contributions on their behalf. What’s more, the money invested in the pension receives a tax boost from the government. For example, every £80 you contribute, the government adds £20 to the pot, allowing for a maximum annual contribution of £2,880, which would give a boost of £720 within the tax year. If you start making contributions from day one for 18 years, you would have contributed £51,840, with the government boosting it by just under £13,000 (£12,960).

So why consider a pension for someone so young? Apart from the government boost, there are several reasons why parents should consider a pension for their children. Firstly, it addresses the concern of giving the child control over the money. While the child will be able to take control of the pension at the age of 18, they cannot withdraw the funds until they reach 57. This ensures that the money remains intact for a considerable period of time, allowing for potential growth and preventing impulsive spending during the teenage years. The age at which you can access a private pension (defined contribution pension) is 57 and this is 11 years before the current proposed state pension age of 68 that many of our children will face, this gives them a head start on retirement or ability to use the money at a wiser age.

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Another advantage is the long-term investment potential. The contributions made along with the government top-up, can be invested over a significant time span. This opens up opportunities for capital growth and the potential to accumulate wealth over the long term. By thinking ahead and setting up a pension for your children, you could provide them with the possibility of retiring early or passing on generational wealth in a tax-efficient manner.

However, it is important to consider the downsides of using a pension for children. One key drawback is the restriction on accessing the funds until the age of 57. While this ensures the money is preserved for the future, it may limit flexibility in case of unforeseen circumstances or financial emergencies. Although anyone can make contributions to a child’s pension only a parent or guardian can open it, this is sometimes why we see less uptake compared to other easier to open products. Another thing to consider is at 18 the pension passes to your child who is now expected to make the decisions on what to do with the monies and how they could be invested.

In summary, pensions for children offer significant benefits for parents who wish to save for their children’s future while maintaining control over the funds. The tax boost from the government, along with the potential for long-term capital growth, provides a solid foundation for financial security. However, it is essential to weigh up the limitations, such as restricted access, financial emergencies, and market risks. 

For anyone who is considering a child’s pension I would suggest speaking to a financial adviser who can go through all the pro’s and cons as well as alternatives available.

 

Liam Hunt is the Managing Director of Prestfield Wealth Management & Dad of one.

For the purposes of this article his views are his own. The tax treatment of the products discussed are correct at the time of writing (July 2024) and it is recommended that you seek your own financial advice from a qualified Financial Adviser.

If you wish to view the St. James’s Place Partnership email disclaimer, please access the link below:

https://www.sjp.co.uk/site-services/site-disclaimer/sjpp-email-disclaimer

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How To Make New Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Work

How To Make New Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Work

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How To Make New Year’s Resolutions That Will Actually Work

By Ric Moylan

We’ve all been there, haven’t we?

 

This year is going to be my year, this year is the year I will get rich.

And for many of us the most common one:

This year I’m going to lose weight and smash my goals with my training and exercise.

 

Helen Skelton
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Now this article is certainly not to criticise anybody for their intentions or for trying their best.  But equally this article is also not going to be another one offering tips for 2025 that you’ve read a thousand times before, or that would take you 5 seconds to find on the internet with advice such as:

 

  • Set Clear Goals:
  • Break Goals into Smaller Tasks:
  • Create a Vision Board:
  • Develop a Routine:
  • Stay Positive:
  • Reward Yourself:
  • Find an Accountability Partner:
  • Reflect Regularly:
  • Learn from Setbacks:
  • Mix Things Up:
  • Stay Healthy:
  • Practice Mindfulness:
  • Celebrate the New Year:

 

All of which is valid advice.

 

Yet why is it that for many people year after year, the above advice doesn’t work?

 

Why are we motivated for a week or two or even a day or two, but then the motivation passes and the ‘new year new me’, becomes a distant memory?

 

More importantly what can we do about it?

 

It starts with understanding 2 key elements:

 

1 – Understanding Yourself, & Be Kind

 

To you.  First of all, I must remind you that you are but a mere human being.  You will always have ups and downs and highs and lows, and that (I’m sure you’re very close), you are not perfect.  With that in mind, try and be nice to yourself about yourself.  Give yourself a pat on the back when things are going well and heading in the right direction.  Equally, try not to be too tough on yourself if you fall off the training and exercise wagon.

 

Take the lessons from the good and the indifferent and keep taking small steps forward.  Remember the saying that “there is no such thing as failure, only feedback”.

 

2 – Understand The Challenges

 

There are 3 key challenges we are faced with.

 

/ – There are many of us who don’t enjoy training & exercise – and often struggle to connect with the ‘rewards’ of training and exercise whilst we are participating in the moment, but also before heading to the gym.  When we are not connected to the rewards, it’s easy to replace training and exercise for something that our mind believes is far more rewarding.  That can include ticking off tasks from our task list that we tell ourselves are a “higher priority”, doing jobs we perceive have to be done “right now” or anything other reason to give yourself permission not to attend.  Achieving these important tasks gives us a blast of dopamine and we feel great for the very short term.  However, that’s soon replaced by feeling of guilt, self-loathing, and angst for our non-attendance.  As I always say – ‘short term pleasure = long term pain’.

 

// – We are busier than ever – trying to find the time to balance a family life, a career, running a home, and more.  Never mind finding time for ourselves.  In this fast paced and busy world, it’s not easy.

 

/// – Today’s solutions have become tomorrow’s problems – Modern day life is detraining an extremely crucial skill in pretty much all of us, and that is the ability to handle frustration.  We can purchase our latest gadget online fast; we can order food and have it delivered fast, and the world of technology means everything is instant and at the click of our fingers.  This however is not the case for your training and exercise results in the gym.  Your results take time, effort, and hard work.  Lasting change is something that will not happen overnight.

 

Putting all this together means it’s easy to forget our best intentions, or simply find something that is more important or more of a priority than training and exercise in the given moment, and then simply cancel.  The frustration from non-attendance builds, and before we know it the cycle of non-attendance continues, the negative feedback loop continues, and despite us not feeling too good in ourselves, the task at hand appears too great, and we quit.

 

But again, what can we do about it?

 

Because that’s enough of the doom and gloom (understanding all of this about yourself is a huge step forward in breaking this negative loop).

 

But also because I believe there is another solution.

 

And it’s a fairly simple one that will enable you to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted with your training and exercise goals.

 

And that is to search for a higher purpose.

 

By that I mean – to train for something that you perceive is more “important” than many of the things that take hold of your time each day.

 

I.E – a charity event.

 

Many charities have events that are linked to their fundraising.  So today, why not search online and sign up to raise some money for a charity that’s close to your heart?  Why not let 2024 be the year that you run your first 5k or 10k.  Or 2024 be the year that you cycle from Manchester to Blackpool or participate in any number of the other events that are out there in your local community.

 

I have seen first-hand the desire, drive, determination, commitment, and effort displayed by the participants each year in my annual charity event ‘Charity Boxing Nights’.  The participants have jobs, often have families, are busy and like many of us they don’t have much spare time.  I am sure there are also days when they are tired, don’t feel like it or are lacking in motivation.

 

But they have made a commitment.

 

Firstly, to themselves, as this commitment requires them getting super fit to compete and give themselves every chance of success.  The biproduct of their commitment is increased training and exercise sessions which will get them much closer to their overall goals.

 

But their commitment is to something much bigger and far greater than they are (in their mindset).

 

Their commitment is to the cause.

 

The charity they are competing for and raising money for.

 

And that overrides pretty much anything. Busy, tired, feeling achy or just don’t feel like it – it doesn’t matter as the cause is more important.

 

So much so that they don’t need to be motivated.

 

Instead, they are completely focused on what it is they must do, and they get it done.

 

I’d highly recommend you read the book ’Start With Why’ by Simon Sinek.  It’s an epic read and whilst some might say is for business goals, it can be adapted to any goals and targets in life (some good videos and talks are available online also).

 

To quote the book, our annual event gives our participants “their why”.

 

Because when they find their why, have connected with it, and then committed to it they can override fatigue or lack of motivation, and instead become relentless with their training and exercise.

 

The charity wins as you can raise some money (any amount is amazing no matter how big or small), and you will equally benefit by becoming the fittest, fastest, and strongest version of you.

 

I would encourage every one of you to explore having a higher purpose or your ‘why’ with your training and exercise in the new year. To consider participating in something that has deeper meaning to you.

 

When you do this, you can make a huge difference to others, as well as yourself.

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Interview with Ashley James

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Est. Reading Time: 42 minutes

Interview: Ashley James 

__________________________________

“there’s no such thing as Dad guilt, and we never shamed Dad’s for going back to work?!” 

Talented Ashley James is a TV presenter, model, DJ and Mum of two. Ashley is a familiar face on TV, but she is perhaps most well known at the moment for her presenting role on This Morning and her inspirational, honest and relatable content on social media which has led to Ashley gaining a large social media following of loyal fans. 

Ashley’s openness about her mental health battles and her frank approach to the struggles of motherhood have provided comfort to many. It was clear to us that Ashley embodied everything that we are about at BROOD and therefore she would make the perfect cover feature. So we headed to London to do a photoshoot with Ashley and her two beautiful children. During this photoshoot and interview, Ashley further cemented the synergy between her and BROOD and it was a day to remember! During the shoot her son Alf, was getting very upset that he didn’t have a dress like his Mummy and Ada – we don’t blame him the dresses were AMAZING! Ashley promised that she would get Alf a dress when they got home, as none of the ones at the shoot would fit him. So we absolutely loved seeing Alf get his dress, when Ashley shared what had happened on social media. His little face was priceless! 

“Yesterday we had a photoshoot for @broodmagazine and I got to bring the kiddies. I’m SO excited to show you the pics! Tatiana was styling us as per usual and she dressed me in some absolutely knockout dresses – even Ada got some cute little frocks! We were so excited about Alf’s outfits too but when we got ready, Alf was SO upset that he couldn’t wear a dress.

Russell Kane and his wife Lindsey founders of Jolt my world
Ashley James

Ashley James images by Tom Pitfield © BROOD Magazine

Ashley James

He’s never really expressed interest in dresses before but we’ve always let him openly explore whatever makes him happy regardless of what gender they have been traditionally assigned to: dolls, pushchairs, pink etc. I’ve always thought it was weird that dolls and pushchairs are considered “girly” given that it’s also modelling being a dad!

Anyway, I promised him he could have a dress and texted Tommy asking him to pick one up. He didn’t question it and was so enthusiastic to share Alf’s excitement! It made me so sad to think of all the generations of boys that aren’t allowed to be themselves. But on a deeper level – why do we discourage boys from having female role models and from “girly” things?

Anyway, it turns out Alf decided that dresses are not that comfortable – but I feel so happy that he gets to grow up with such a strong male role model in his dad that he does not try to force him into a box of masculinity!

How wonderful would the world be if we allowed our sons and daughters the space and freedom to be whoever they want to be. 

And we couldn’t agree more! Now onto the interview…

At what point in your career did you become a Mum and how did you find that transition? 

 “I became a mum right in the middle of lockdown really. So my pregnancy and lockdown were pretty much In Sync. So it was quite a weird time because obviously the TV studios sort of shut down and I was doing a lot of things on Zoom, and then of course I lost all my DJ gigs overnight with lockdown because there wasn’t any. So then when lockdown lifted and I had Alfie I had to kind of like find my feet again in like a double sense of the word. And I felt this huge pressure to go back to everything really quickly because I’d already not worked for over a year. So I did feel pressure on myself more than anything, I guess, but I wanted to be back DJing. I wanted to see people dancing again, I wanted to be able to do what I loved and also I think it really hit me when the lockdown was lifted that everyone else’s world kind of went back to normal, but I didn’t recognise my world anymore. So, yeah, I think the transition was really hard. 

So when I had Ada, one thing I was quite certain about – which I think people can be quite judgmental of –  is that I was going back to work straight away, and obviously I’m very lucky in this industry, that that can be accommodated. So Ada has been to the Ministry of Sound, she went to all my fashion brand DJ gigs, and she was there with Dyson headphones on when I was digging for Dyson. She came to Steph’s Packed lunch back when I was doing that up in Leeds. So we’d get the train together, and obviously the great thing about the Doona is that it’s so easy to transport her anywhere. We would stay in the Holiday Inn, doing the TV shows. So she came with me everywhere for the first six months and then after that, I had her in full-time childcare, which again lots of people are quite judgemental of, especially given that she was six months old. But I think there’s no such thing as Dad guilt, and we never shame Dad’s for going back to work and especially in this climate where not all Mum’s want to work, but a lot of Mums need to work. And actually, she was in the best place for her and I was in the best place for me and I really think it has made me a better mum because I get to do what I love and get to be a Mum as well.”

What do you think the hardest thing about being a working parent is, especially as your career is rapidly growing, and going from strength to strength? 

“I think there’s quite a cliche quote where it says something like, ‘You have to work as if you don’t have children and have children like you don’t have a job’, and It does feel like you’ve got two full time jobs that run side by side, but you’re not allowed to tell the other one about the other!  So you find yourself trying to show that, when you’re at work – you’re at work, and that role doesn’t care really if you’ve been up all night, or that your kids sick or, about any of the things that you’re facing, because even if they’re in childcare, like the work doesn’t stop! Even if that thinking, ‘Oh, I need to get them some new clothes’, or ‘I need to book their vaccinations’ – which you can only do during office hours –  so you know all that maternal mental load that you carry around is still there. And equally then when you’re at home, your kids don’t care if you’ve got any work to do. Obviously, a lot of my jobs are on Instagram, and if I have to post at a certain time and that happens to be bedtime, my kids don’t understand, I can’t say ‘Sorry Mum’s just got work quickly’, they want your full attention and of course, they deserve your full attention. So it’s trying to find that almost impossible balance within that juggle. And what I find really hard is I think there’s a lot more expectation on the Mums, like there’s an almost impossible expectation and pressure. For example, if I’m ever out, the first thing people will say is,  ‘Who’s looking after the kids?’ whereas no one would ever ask Tommy that, and actually he went away for work for a whole week to LA and not a single person asked him who had the kids. So I think, you know, I feel very lucky that I’m in a very 50/50 relationship in terms of our co-parenting, but I don’t think personally that it can never be 50/50 because societal expectation is all on the Mums and we judged mums that stay at home, we judge mums for going back to work, we judged mums really for anything, which is why I always say that you may as well find your own lane and feel comfortable and confident in that. And if that’s what you want to be a stay at home mum, then I take my hat off to you, because I think it’s the hardest thing in the world. I think stay at home Mums don’t get enough credit. But if you want to be a working Mum, or if you want to do both, whatever it is, I think as a society we need to hold Mums in much more esteem, and give them a bit of a break. 

Ashley James

Ashley James images by Tom Pitfield © BROOD Magazine

BROOD Live

Do you think that’s why Mum’s feel so much ‘Mum guilt’ and is it something that you have experienced? 

“I’m going to say I actually don’t feel Mum guilt. I never feel mum guilt. And it’s funny because I think that’s always what people say when you are working, ‘Oh you must feel really guilty?’, but it’s like, well, no, I don’t because I get to do what I love and I get to be a mum. I know that if I was at home all the time with them, I would find it so overstimulating.

I could go into a talk at Parliament, I could go on live TV on This Morning and you know, talk about news topics that I only found out about 5 minutes before and I would find it all a lot easier than being at home all the time, especially with a three and a one year old, because I feel like they both love danger and want to kill themselves in separate places [she laughs] so I find out next to impossible. So I don’t feel guilty about pulling in resources and getting to go to work and as we’ve said there is no such thing as Dad guilt, so I don’t think we should have to feel guilty either.

Has there been anything in particular that you have found especially challenging?

“What I do find really hard though, is that, if you’re lucky, you get a year maternity leave, but I was self-employed so technically I was very lucky, but I didn’t get that maternity leave. And I mean I was lucky in the sense that I got to take Ada with me, but what I did find hard was that I ended up breastfeeding Alf for a year and Ada for 15 months, and I didn’t really have a plan with feeding, that’s just how it happened and that was the option that was easiest for me, Alf didn’t even take a bottle, but there is kind of this expectation that when you first have the baby, you sort of get six weeks where people are very kind to you and they kind of they know that you’re occupied, but then I feel like the patience runs out, people kind of expect you to be able to go out and to be able to do all the things that you were doing before. You kind of hear things like, ‘I hope you’re not going to be one of those Mums who only talks about their kids’ and I found myself when I was 8 months in with the perception that lots of other mums (who had given birth at a similar time to me), had got their normal life back because, they were able to share feeds or give the baby a bottle, therefore they can have babysitters and I did feel a real sense of frustration or loneliness and isolation that my body was still the source of food and it was really hard to navigate that. Obviously, retrospectively, you’re like, it’s just a year it doesn’t matter, but I feel like society doesn’t even give you that time and it doesn’t kind of have much empathy, because if you said it out loud you would just be met with well give them a bottle then, and obviously it’s not that simple. I don’t know, I just think feeding in general is such a sadly controversial thing no matter how you feed and I think it’s just a shame that we don’t support people no matter which way they choose to feed.”

Have you ever had what we call a BROOD moment where your career and parenthood collide?

“Yes, it was when Alf was a baby, I was a new mum and I was battling identity struggles and I was paranoid I’d never work again, because I’d be written off as just a mum. So when Jeremy Vine invited me back on his show, I jumped at the chance! It was a chance to still be me, not Ashley the mum, just Ashley. But the problem was the logistics as Alfie was only six-month-old, he was still breastfeeding and wouldn’t take a bottle. So Tommy took a day’s holiday and said he would sit with Alfie in the green room, provided he wouldn’t have to be on camera. He wanted to support my career. But I was still scared that Alf would need me as he was a big baby and fed regularly, plus it had been lockdown, so I’d never really been away from him. The production team were amazing and they promised me if he needed me, we’d make it work. Things were going smoothly until Alf had a huge poo explosion all over my dress moments before I went live! Jeremy asked if we could introduce him to everyone on air, and whilst we were talking, Alf started to want to feed. At first, I panicked, but then my maternal instinct kicked in, and I thought his hunger was more important than anything else. Initially, I was gutted that it had happened as I wanted to be Ashley the professional, not Ashley the mum, and now I was being Ashley the mum on TV. I came off the show to so many comments about how I was attention-seeking, and it struck me as strange that I’d want attention, or that it was even worthy of something you do for attention. Feeding a baby should be unremarkable. But then I realised that’s why it’s so important to normalise breastfeeding, to fight against the hypersexualisation of boobs, and the stigma of feeding a baby in public, and to show the reality of juggling motherhood and a career. And now I’m actually really proud to have breastfed on TV!”

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Are you camp Dry January or camp Ginuary? Cocktail Recipes for both!

Are you camp Dry January or camp Ginuary? Cocktail Recipes for both!

Est. Reading Time: 5 minutes

Dry January or Ginuary? – Cocktail recipes for both

By Lolo Stubbs

Are you in camp Dry January or camp Ginuary? It’s the first year we’d heard about Ginuary, not sure how we’ve missed it in previous years, but we were keen to find out more about it – is it just another hashtag or is there more to it than? Effectively Ginuary is simply a counterpoint to Dry January or Dryanuary. 

Rather than campaigning for people to stop drinking during January, Ginuary – or Dry Ginuary – provides reasons to drink gin (in moderation of course!) 

Cocktails

As January is deemed one of the hardest months of the year, many of us don’t want to have a month without alcohol especially when we’ve already lost our Christmas trees, fairy lights and we’re on the healthy eating wagon. Gin lovers claim the juniper berries in Gin offer a wide range of benefits to our well-being, as the juniper berries contain antioxidants, flavonoids, and enzymes that may help with digestion, blood circulation, and heart health. so it’s another reason to sway towards Ginuary! 

But if you have stronger willpower than us we’ve asked our friends at George’s to include a mocktail in our Cocktail Hour feature, along with some cocktails to celebrate making it through Dry January with easy to make recipes, to add a little fun to your Valentines weekend! 

Edition 6 BROOD Magazine Banner
No-jito

All cocktail Recipes courtesy of @georges_worsley

No-jito 

Ingredients:

  • 7 mint leaves 
  • 50ml elderflower cordial 
  • 25ml lime juice 
  • Topped with soda,
  • Crushed Ice

Method:

Muddle the mint at the bottom of your shaker, Add the lime juice, elderflower cordial, and a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker, and shake it vigorously. 

Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker over a glass filled with ice. Top your glass with soda water, and garnish it with lime slices and more fresh mint sprigs.

Pink Gin 75

All cocktail Recipes courtesy of @georges_worsley

Pink Gin 75 

Ingredients:

  • 50ml pink gin
  • 3 muddled raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon of grapefruit juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar syrup 

Method:

All shaken in a cocktail shaker

Vodka Martini ingredients

All cocktail Recipes courtesy of @georges_worsley

Classic Vodka Martini with added Blue Curacao 

Ingredients:

  • 50ml Grey goose vodka,

  • 25ml martini dry

  • Blue Curacao

Method:

All shaken in a cocktail shaker

Campari Spritz

Ingredients:

  • 50ml Campari

  • Top with Prosecco

  • Top with Sparkling water

  • Garnish with an orange peel

Method:

All shaken in a cocktail shaker

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Interview: BALANCING FATHERHOOD AND AMBITION – Dads in business – Danny Miller and Nige ‘Wingman’ Clucas

By Lolo Stubbs

__________________________________

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and grow along the way!” 

Danny Miller

Dad of two, and Actor Danny Miller, and Dad of one, Capital FM’s Nige “Wingman” Cluclas joined forces to create Albert’s bookshelf earlier this year. 

Albert’s bookshelf is a delightful collection of children’s audio books brought to life through the magic of audio narration. Bringing popular timeless tales, vibrant characters, and thrilling adventures to life – all at the touch of a button perfect for helping your little ones wind down at bedtime on those days you’re not able to read them a bedtime story!

Inspired by the fact that Danny didn’t always make it home in time for his son Albert’s bedtime, we caught up with this dynamic duo to ask them about life in business and how they manage to juggle everything day to day!

Danny Miller & Nigel Wingman Clucas<br />

Danny Miller, Nige ‘Wingman’ Clucas. Images by Tom Pitfield for BROOD Magazine Limited ©

Oliver Piotrowski and Jorgie Porter
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What inspired you to start Alberts Bookshelf? 

Danny: “Albert, was always at the heart of why I wanted to start it and so we chose the name based on that, and whenever we couldn’t find him in the house! He was usually working his way through his bookshelf in the playroom. So the two sat nicely together. Alberts Bookshelf. But the reason for starting it was because I was adamant to keep books and literature at the centre of his education. Nigel agreed, that a lot of the time these days iPads and tablets are used for the wrong reasons. Whilst it’s a good distraction for the children so the adults/parents can have some time to sort through house chores or catch up with each other – the two can marry up to allow the child access to tablets but in an educational format and we wanted to try and be a part of that by bringing some brilliant books to children’s homes and use their imagination to listen and invent what’s happening in their own heads. Rather than mindless videos on YouTube or other platforms that are proven to have no benefit other than distracting their attention rather than helping the mind grow.”

How do you manage the juggle of your busy work schedule, building Albert’s Bookshelf and your Dad duties? 

Nige: “We’re both lucky to be on the same page and whilst family undoubtedly comes first, we try to keep in mind we’d love to pass this business down to Albert and to my daughter Lyla as well as Danny’s daughter Edith and any more in the future to come. It means we can say that they were the reason for starting something so brilliant and unique in Albert’s Bookshelf that books and words and literature can be just as fun as anything you’d find on YouTube whilst helping to educate and carve a path of interest and love for books and learning. Whether that be on a tablet or in a hardback book, the two can go together”

BROOD Live

What have you found to be the most challenging part of running a business to be? 

Danny:: “The hardest thing, I’d say, is the distance between my house and the recording studio. Being in Yorkshire it can be quite hard whilst downtime from filming to balance family life and helping Alberts Bookshelf to grow. That said, it shows how much of a brilliant team Nigel and I are together, we manage to find time and work around each other’s schedules to get a batch of books done in one go so it becomes easier to release them weekly, whilst not needing to be in the studio every day. Something we hope one day will be a lot easier to do when we have our own facilities to record and entertain, educate and socialise with other like-minded children and parents – all under one roof!” 

What’s your favourite thing about building Alberts Bookshelf? 

Nige: “For me, it’s seeing the growth. From a small, almost silly idea of Danny’s, it blossomed into a huge and quite honestly, brilliant idea from both of us. In over 124 countries and now being downloaded every single day by thousands is mind-boggling as well as humbling and also, overwhelming. We try to keep growing because we know there is so much more to overcome and achieve. We’re not here for the short term.

What would you say to someone thinking of taking the plunge into the business world?

Danny: “I personally would say that if you have an idea then work on it and go for it. And learn along the way. That’s what we’ve done so well, we’ve learnt as we go. Trial and error. Not everything works, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work a different way. Family life can be busy, but if you find someone who can bounce off you like me and Nige, it makes it all the easier. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and grow along the way and finally, don’t expect it to be an overnight success, because when it becomes a success it’s all the more surprising and rewarding knowing that genuine hard work, commitment and determination, will pay off.”

Since the interview, Entrepreneur Ryan Williams has also joined Alberts Bookshelf after meeting at one of our BROOD Live Events

Danny Miller, Nige Wingman Clucas and their families

Danny Miller, Nige ‘Wingman’ Clucas and their family. Images by Tom Pitfield for BROOD Magazine Limited ©

Ashley James Interview

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Helping Your Child’s Hair Grow Faster: Simple Tips

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Est. Reading Time: 4 minutes

Helping Your Child’s Hair Grow Faster: Simple Tips

As parents, we want the best for our children, including healthy, strong hair. If you’re looking to help your child’s hair grow faster, here are a few easy tips that can make a big difference.

 

  1. Healthy Diet for Healthy Hair

A balanced diet rich in vitamins and proteins is key for hair growth. Include:

  • Protein: Eggs, fish, lean meat
  • Iron and Zinc: Leafy greens, beans, nuts
  • Vitamins A & C: Carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes
  • Biotin & Omega-3: Avocados, seeds, salmon

Good nutrition supports strong hair from the inside out.

 

  1. Gentle Hair Care
  • Mild Shampoo: Wash hair 2-3 times a week with gentle, sulfate-free shampoo.
  • Condition Regularly: Keep hair soft by conditioning, focusing on the ends.
  • Detangle Gently: Use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush, starting at the ends.
  • Regular Trims: Trim every 8-12 weeks to remove split ends and keep hair healthy.

curly hair care
Hair Made Easi
curly hair care
  1. Scalp Care
  • Massage the Scalp: Gentle scalp massages increase blood flow, promoting growth.
  • Keep It Clean: Ensure the scalp stays clean and moisturized to prevent issues like dryness.

 

  1. Bedtime Routine
  • Silk Pillowcase: Reduce friction and tangles by using silk or satin pillowcases.
  • Loose Hairstyles: Keep hair tied loosely or leave it down to avoid breakage.
  • Moisturize: Apply a little leave-in conditioner or oil before bed to keep hair hydrated.

 

  1. Make It Fun

Turn hair care into a positive experience. Use fun accessories or let them play while you brush their hair to make it enjoyable.

With these simple habits, you’ll encourage healthy hair growth and create a routine that your child can enjoy too!

 

By Nicola Wood, Hair Made Easi

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Sitting Is The New Smoking

By Ric Moylan

The landscape of life changed in 2020 in many areas due to the Covid 19 Pandemic that swept across the globe.  There were a number of different situations and circumstances that were classified as ‘the new normal’ and working from home was most certainly one of them.

 

Some of these new normals were just a short-term requirement (thankfully), whereas others such as working from home have remained.  Now I don’t know about you, but prior to 2020 working from home was something that I had never considered or ever done.  Zoom or Teams, what were they?!

 

Helen Skelton
latest newsletter

Putting aside that perhaps I was a bit of a dinosaur, research has shown that working from home offers several health benefits, which can positively impact both physical and mental well-being.

 

These include: –

 

The potential for better nutrition intake

Improved sleep

Increased physical activity (hmmm I’m not so sure about this)

A comfortable work environment

Reduced stress due to less commute time

Better work-life balance

Increased productivity

More family time

Ability to take breaks as needed

Decreased social anxiety

 

As is often the case however, there is also counter research that has stated that whilst working from home does offer many benefits, it can also present several challenges and potential negative effects on both physical and mental health.

 

Some of these include:

 

An increased sedentary lifestyle (let’s talk a little more about this)

Poor ergonomics (and this!)

Increased screen time leading to digital eye strain/computer vision syndrome, headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes

Isolation and loneliness

Stress and burnout

Presenteeism

Distractions and lack of focus

Reduced social interaction

Communication challenges

Technology issues

Lack of access to resources

Potential for decreased professional development

 

I must state that the purpose of this article is not to sway opinion on whether I believe that working from home is a good or bad thing or should or shouldn’t happen. I am also as always certainly not here to judge.

 

What I do personally believe (whether this is caused by increased working from home or not) is that quite simply we are moving less than we ever have, and spending more time sat on our lovely backsides than we also ever have.  Both our movement volume and movement quality are at an all-time low. When given the choice whether to jump in a lift or on an escalator or take the stairs, data from the USA states that only 2% of people will take the stairs (Easter., 2021).  This is backed by further research showing that we exercise 14 x less than our ancestors – who moved fast for 2 hours daily (O’Keefe et al., 2010).  For context, we’re living in a world where some people don’t even go to collect their take aways anymore!!  It’s a slippery slope, it’s only getting worse, and this is causing major problems to both our physical and mental health.  So much so, that statistically, the links to long-term sitting down and poor health issues show that:

large lady working from home

SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING.

 

Yes, you read that right.

 

And that is frightening.

 

Long-term sitting down is now linked to more chronic illness and ill health such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes etc than smoking is.

 

  • People who spend more than 6 hours per day sitting with low levels of physical activity have a 71% increase in mortality rate.

 

  • Sitting for more than 7 hours daily increases the risk of depression by 47% compared to those who only sit for 4 hours a day or less.

 

(Chau et al., 2013)

 

  • A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by up to 12 times.

(Yan et al., 2020)

 

And I could carry on.

 

Whether you like it or not, or even realise it or not, long-term sitting down is destroying your health, is ruining your body, and the decline is frightening and dramatic especially as each year passes by. 

 

With reduced physical mobility you get higher rates of disease, as well as increases in disability, hospitalization, and an early visit to your maker – the data shows that society is literally sitting itself to death!!!

 

From a musculoskeletal perspective, the damage is extremely evident.  Recent studies show that we have less mobility and range of motion in our joints than we ever have, and this is playing havoc and causing increased pain in our back, hips, shoulders and knee joints.  It’s causing increased sarcopenia (muscle and strength loss), and again it only gets worse with age. 

 

Poor levels of mobility are also directly linked to low levels of performance.  With poor mobility, you will perform worse in the gym, in your sports, and in the workplace.  Your body will overwork potentially leading to fatigue and or injury.  Basically put, in every area, you will have a poorer quality of life.

 

Now I’m sorry to be all doom and gloom.

 

But we must accept that this part of our lifestyle is doing us no favours at all.  The good news, however, is that you can do something about it, and you must start getting yourself moving more today to undo this. 

 

Because, as the saying goes: –

 

Movement is medicine.

 

I can testify to this as I have personal experience of the damage that too much sitting and a lack of the correct and specific movements each day can cause. This is not because of the thousands of clients I have worked with, from beginner right through to elite athlete.  This is a journey I am all too familiar with.  You see, due to Covid-19 a lot more of my work and daily life had transferred to Zoom and being sat on my laptop.  Meetings and seminars that were in person went virtual, face to face coaching sessions where I would often take clients walking and in the outdoors were exchanged for the screen, and I spent far more time sitting down than I ever had.  After ignoring some warning signs, I developed a pretty serious injury in my lower back and was diagnosed that I had ‘slipped a disc’.

 

I don’t mind telling you, it was absolute agony.

 

Basic functions such as walking a few steps, tying my shoelaces, picking my bag up off the floor and even going to the toilet (!!!) were almost impossible.  They were extremely painful if nothing else.  Whilst of course these things can occasionally happen, I’d love to tell you that my injury and subsequent severe pain couldn’t have been avoided, but it’s likely that it could.  You see I was aware that my posture and overall mobility had been poor for a number of years, and I was also aware that this was causing me discomfort at times in my life.  But it ‘wasn’t too bad’, so if I’m honest, I ignored it. 

 

Slowly and steadily, I had developed what is known as ‘Lower Crossed Syndrome’.   This presents as having an anterior (forward) pelvic tilt, tightness in the hip flexors, and weakness in the gluteal muscles (Sahu & Phansopkar., 2021). I suppose you could say that my arch in my back was noticeable, and my posture looked a little bit like a duck!!  And you guessed it, this condition is caused by inactivity, too much sitting down, and is linked and known to cause pain in a variety of areas, especially chronic and intense pain in the lower back!  Sadly, the statistics show that Lower Crossed Syndrome, the symptoms of this, the pain especially in the lower back, and the posture this makes your body look like (duck posture) may be familiar to some of you?

 

So, what must you do about it??

 

A quick Google search about tips to counterbalance increased inactivity and too much sitting down will tell you to:

 

  • Stay active
  • Maintain a routine
  • Eat healthy
  • Get your 10,000 steps in each day etc.

 

And all of that is absolutely correct.  But you must go further and focus on specific work to improve your mobility, posture, and undo the effects of inactivity and long-term sitting. This work can be a little painful,** it can most certainly be boring, but you must make it a priority and do it every single day.  It’s also likely that you will do this work for the rest of your life.

 

You should work on all joints and muscles within your body, however a saying I came across many years ago is that “the hips are the bully of the body” and this is true with your mobility.  You must target the hips, in particularly the psoas major (known as hip flexors) and work on them directly.  When tightened the psoas muscles begin to “bully” other areas of the body.  The pelvis tilts forwards, your core strength is reduced, your glute strength is reduced, the discs in the lower back are compressed amongst other things, and the journey towards being in pain begins.

 

Stretching alone will not do the trick to fix you.  You must attend and perform Pilates based exercises, and include strengthening exercises such as glute bridges, with rear elevated split squats being the leading exercise to reverse these negative effects.  Remember, you should perform these under supervision if you have not done them previously.

 

The final challenge is your focusing on your mindset.  Being in pain is debilitating and can affect your mood, and you must be aware of this.  Again, remember that movement is medicine.  Make a commitment to start and end your day with some mobility and strength-based work, and you will soon start to feel much better both physically and mentally.  I’ve already mentioned that the corrective movements and exercises can be boring and will often provide very minimal instant reward or muscular feedback (they often hurt, and you don’t always get that ‘pump’ or training high).  Being aware of this will help.  Instead of seeking the short-term pleasure ‘feeling’ associated with training, commit to a personal code of completing your mobility and postural based exercises every day whether you feel like it or not.  Focus on the long-term gains, instead of the short-term quick fixes and commit to intentional and correctional movements every day.

 

Get out of the chair, and off the sofa. Mobilise the tight areas in your body and strengthen the weaker areas.  Every day, prioritise the micro tasks that are so effective such as sitting on the floor, on an exercise ball, on in a deep squat position as often as you can. 

 

Be mindful of the stories you tell yourself, about yourself. You are not lacking in mobility or strength because of age, or because you are ‘getting older’.  It is not a done deal, and it is not too late.  Your body is tight, weak and in pain because you are not doing enough of what your body is designed to do, and that is purposeful and intentional movement each and every day.

 

It’s time to take responsibility for this and it’s time to change. 

 

So that with the gift of age, you will not just ‘cope’ or survive, but instead, physically and mentally, you will thrive.

 

Best wishes.

 

Ric

 *Always consult a qualified physician or doctor before participating in any form of physical activity.

BROOD Live

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Interview: Jorgie Porter and Ollie Piotrowski

By Lolo Stubbs

__________________________________

“…I lost my best friend to cancer –  I channelled my grief into a way to keep pushing forward as I knew he was my number one supporter.”

Oli Piotrowski

Jorgie Porter became a household name when she burst onto the screen as feisty Theresa McQueen in Hollyoaks in. 2008, and most recently people have got an insight into Jorgie herself in the new ITV series Drama Queens. During this new series, the British public was introduced to Jorgie’s fiancé, Ollie Piotrowski. Ollie is well known within the business world for his impressive portfolio of businesses and huge success at such a young age. After leaving home at 16, Ollie spent his teenage years cycling an hour to work earning £20 a day as a roofer to scrimp and save enough from his job to buy his first property. When he bought his first terraced house for £30,000 it set into motion what has now become a hugely successful property business – Pinnacle Holding – which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary. Ollie did it all without family money or direct access to investors at the start – instead teaching himself and learning the hard way how to become a successful entrepreneur, all alongside being a single Dad to his firstborn son, Alfie. 

The couple who have been together since 2020 have been through some heartbreaking times during their time together, including the excruciating loss of their quadruplets, when Jorgie was 14 weeks pregnant in 2021. Fortunately, the heartbreak only strengthened their bond and they have since announced their engagement and welcomed their first child together in November 2022 – the adorable little Forest. 

Oliver Piotrowski, Jorgie Porter and their son Forest

Jorgie Porter, Ollie Piotrowski and their son Forest. Image by Tom Pitfield for BROOD Magazine Limited © Jorgie Hair Wrap: Hair Made Easi

Oliver Piotrowski and Jorgie Porter

Jorgie Porter and Ollie Piotrowski. Image by Tom Pitfield for BROOD Magazine Limited ©

Mother Pukka Interview

One of the biggest topics of discussion for Jorgie & Ollie whilst recording Drama Queens centred around childcare for Forest and the importance of each of their individual careers – the type of conversation that all BROOD readers understand all too well. Following the announcement that Jorgie and Ollie will be adding a new addition to their brood later this year, we sat down with them to hear how they currently manage the struggle of the juggle and how they each got to where they are today. 

Alfie was at school when we came to do the photoshoot at the couple’s stunning family home, and in true BROOD style little Forest fell asleep just as we started taking the pictures, so after Ollie put down Forest for a much-needed nap, and Jorgie had a quick pregnancy snack, we sat down with the inspiring and down to earth couple to chat all things career and parenthood. 

What advice would you give to fellow parents who are chasing their career dreams whilst also juggling parenthood?

Ollie – “Compromise, you’ve got to find a way to compromise.”

Jorgie – “Yeah, Ollie is really good at stuff like this. He always seems to know when I need rest, I think because when you’re pregnant and growing a baby, whilst looking after a baby you can’t do it all and end up moaning and getting emotional, but Ollie realises that I just need a rest.”

Ollie – “Yeah nothing is perfect, so you’ve to try and focus on your career whilst also trying to make the most of bringing up your kids. It is difficult, but it is achievable.”

Jorgie – “Yeah, what you’re really good at is coming home, and switching off and being a Dad, and actually giving that time to the children.”

Is that something you find easy to do though, as it’s not easy to switch off when you run a business and you run a few businesses? 

Ollie – “No, secretly it’s difficult to switch off but your kids are the best things in the world aren’t they so that overrides any feeling of stress…and then as soon as they go to bed the stress comes back!” [We all laugh] “It’s the only thing that I would say distracts me from the stresses that can come from running a business”

 What has been your career highlight to date?

Jorgie – “I’ve been so lucky to do so many incredible things, meet so many amazing people on loads of jobs. But I’d have to say that because when I was growing up as a kid, like a young little ballerina wannabe, aspirational sort of everything I wanted to be was a ballet dancer on a stage and I managed to do ballet dancing on West End stage in Fame the Musical and that I think has always been a lifelong dream as a child and I sort of look back at myself as a kid going, aww she’d be really proud of me right now.”

Ollie – “If I’m honest, I think it’s massively underrated to just celebrate growth. I am proud to have a group of companies that to date have stood the test of time, and have lasted over ten years – We’ve navigated through some tough times – Brexit, COVID, inflation and a recession!”

Hair Made Easi

What was the most challenging time in your life, and how did you navigate your work life at that time?

Ollie – “In the early days of Pinnacle after a long battle I lost my best friend, Josh, to cancer –  I channelled my grief into a way to keep pushing forward as I knew he was my number one supporter. Josh, was the only one who supported me in the concept of setting up the investment and developing the company when everyone else was telling me to work for a company. I channelled my grief into a way to keep pushing forward as I knew he was my number one supporter. At the same time, I had just had my first child and was a single parent from birth with Alfie. This in itself was a super difficult balancing act! To this day if I think of anything Pinnacle related it brings me back to Josh.”

Jorgie – “I think for me, it was when I moved to America. I was so brave and so sort of strong, I think going out there on my own. I lived there for four years back and forth, and I just did everything I needed to do, except the end goal which was to get a job. The only thing I needed to do was work and it didn’t happen. It was such hard work and I really struggled. Then I realised that actually everything I needed and everything I want is back in England. I could have kept trying in America and carrying on, but I just think I would have really, really struggled a lot and so I think that was really challenging and also I was just sort of living off my savings and then I kind of had to come back and I was able to then come back to Hollyoaks which was really really good and I’m just so grateful that I was able to come back to work after that.

So really I didn’t have a work life when I lived in America, I just kind of just spent money like it was Gonna be there and it wasn’t and so I think that was when I was like, oh right This is this way. I’ve got to really come back and work hard and save money again, and that’s what I had to do.”

What is your favourite thing about being a parent?

Ollie – “No matter what is going on in the outside world or what has happened both good or bad in business your children don’t really care. You close the door and it’s a feeling of pure love. They just want you as their Daddy to play, cuddle, be silly and feed them!”

Jorgie – “I actually didn’t think being a parent would be this good. I genuinely, you just get, like when you see him just flourish a bit or do something new or he’ll learn a new word or all of a sudden he’ll do something and you’ll be like where have you learnt that from? It’s like the biggest shock and the biggest surprise and also that when he’s so happy doing something you get really happy. I think, honestly I am so shocked every day how much I love it about being a parent. I am obsessed with Forest. I actually can’t wait for this other baby to come into our life and I think, I think yeah it’s just the surprises that come with it. I even don’t mind waking up early, which I absolutely can’t do, but when he wakes up laughing and he’s saying Mummy I think aww okay yeah. So he’s changed my life a lot and the little things I do and also just like putting a little human being first before you is kind of like new and actually really just gives you that, I don’t know it gives you that sort of need for living, like you kind of now have a different like reason to live. It sounds deep doesn’t it when you ask these questions but it really is truly that awesome and that great.”

Shayne Ward and his daughter Willow
Edition 6 BROOD Magazine Banner

Do you hope that watching you both follow your career dreams will inspire your children to do the same?

Ollie – “Both me and Jorgie left home very young. 16, for me! So I want them to feel they can aspire to be anything. I think the world is programmed to put people in boxes and follow the narrative – education until 18/uni or work/house/mortgage/car/debt/pension…… I want my children to understand that they can create their own narrative and have a safe home to build the foundations from if they need.”

Jorgie – “Yeah, I really really do hope that this is a thing, I’ve always worked since I was a kid like I think from the age of 14 I was working in the hairdressers I just hope that our kids will be like right we need to work in order to sort of you know get somewhere I also hope that they see that we enjoy work I want them to have a job where they can go I’ll actually I actually like going to work and I hope that you know we give that inspiration of working hard you then have the side of you can have a great life so I yeah I really do think it’s important that they will sort of see how important work is but also to enjoy it is my sort of thing is because I laugh every day at work and so I hope they do too.”

Have you ever had a BROOD moment where work and parenthood collide?

Ollie – “A BROOD moment we had was when we went to Spain, and we were only going for 48 hours as Jorge was doing some work and Forest got really ill and we couldn’t get home, but Jorgie was filming the next day.” 

Jorgie “ Oh yeah, we couldn’t have taken him on the plane he was literally going through 7-8 nappies an hour! It was the poorliest he’s ever been, but I had work the next day and it’s one of those things where you have to phone work and tell them and I wanted to film it to show them, to prove that it was actually happening, because you just think no one will ever get it! So we had to just make a decision not to get on the flight.” 

Ollie – “We were full of anxiety, thinking we’ve got to get on a plane and he’s screaming and you know what everyone is like on a plane.”

Jorgie – “Yeah, he still wasn’t happy the next day, but there was no way we could get on that first plane!” 

Ollie – “Another one is when we went out shopping for the first time after he was born, and we went to Selfridges and he had that poonami!”    

Jorgie – “Oh the Poonami! That was definitely one of those things that happen that nobody warns you about! [She laughs] He needed feeding so I took him to the toilet, and Ollie was outside somewhere, and I decided to change his nappy…and he just started pooing everywhere, but then because he was so hungry he needed feeding, so I just fed him without a nappy on and he just poonamied down my tights, my clothes, everywhere! And I was trying to phone Ollie…” 

Ollie – “But she had no signal, so I was thinking what the hell is she doing inside this bathroom! [We all laugh] I felt like I looked really weird lingering around outside the toilets.”

Jorgie – “And I was inside laughing hysterically – because what can you do! [We continue laughing] 

Ollie – “Yeah, our first time out shopping with him” 

Jorgie – “I don’t even know if we had another outfit for him!” 

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Choosing The Right Hair Care products for kids

Selecting the right hair care products for your child is an important task, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Children’s hair is more delicate and sensitive than that of adults, so it requires extra care.

With countless products available, it’s essential to find ones that are safe, gentle, and effective. Here’s a guide to help you choose the best hair care products for your kids.

Know Your Child’s Hair Type

Understanding your child’s hair type is the first step in selecting suitable products. Hair can be straight, wavy, curly, or coily, and each type requires different care:

  • Straight Hair: Often more prone to becoming oily. Opt for lightweight, gentle shampoos that cleanse without stripping natural oils.
  • Wavy Hair: Needs balanced hydration to prevent frizz and define waves. Light conditioners and moisturising shampoos work well.
  • Curly Hair: Tends to be drier and benefits from rich, moisturising products that define curls and reduce frizz.
  • Coily Hair: Requires deep moisture to prevent breakage and maintain healthy curls. Look for products that offer intense hydration and conditioning.

 

curly hair care
Hair Made Easi

Choose Products with Gentle, Natural Ingredients

Children’s scalps are more sensitive, so it’s important to choose products with natural, gentle ingredients. Avoid harsh chemicals like sulphates and synthetic fragrances, which can irritate the scalp. Instead, look for:

  • Aloe Vera: Hydrates and soothes the scalp.
  • Coconut Oil: Provides moisture and nourishment.
  • Shea Butter: Deeply conditions and helps with detangling.
  • Chamomile: Soothes sensitive skin and adds shine.

Consider Scalp Sensitivity

  • If your child has a sensitive scalp or conditions like eczema, choose hypoallergenic, dermatologist-tested products that are free from common irritants.

Opt for Tear-Free Formulas

  • For younger children, tear-free shampoos and conditioners are essential. These formulas are gentle on the eyes.

Use Detangling Products

  • Tangled hair can be a challenge, especially with longer or curly hair. Detangling sprays or leave-in conditioners make combing easier, reducing breakage and discomfort. The Hair Made Easi Luxury Paddle Brush or Luxury Wide Tooth Comb is perfect for detangling hair.

Test Products First

  • Before fully introducing a new product, do a patch test to ensure it’s safe for your child. Apply a small amount to their scalp and monitor for any reactions.

 

Choosing the right hair care products for your kids doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding their hair type and focusing on gentle, natural ingredients, you can find products that keep their hair healthy and strong. A consistent routine and a little extra care will help your child develop healthy hair habits that last a lifetime.

By Nicola Wood, Hair Made Easi

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SUMMER MAKE UP TRENDS Wanting to wake up your complexion from dull to full of colour? Here’s a view to an ultra glossy look with flushed cheeks that is a hit this summer. Mid tone blush is a new trending technique for blurring together your blush and under-eye makeup...

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Est. Reading Time: 7 minutes

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Imposter Syndrome – Do you feel like an imposter?

Imposter Syndrome – Do you feel like an imposter?

Est. Reading Time: 5 minutes

Imposter Syndrome

Do you feel like an Imposter?

Imposter syndrome and the anxiety surrounding that feeling of ‘Imposter Syndrome’ is something I still hear a lot of people talk about in one way or another and I I have a view on it that may differ to others, but I would love you to hear me out and see if I can help you adjust your own perspective of what it means to be an imposter! 

 The term Imposter Syndrome initially acme about when Pauline Clancy and Dr Suzanne Ames published ‘The Imposter Phenomenon in High Achieving Women” back in 1978. It has then evolved since then into a terms used more generally with both men and women (mainly women) to describe a feeling or a collection of thoughts that can often stop us from taking risks or moving forward in the direction we want due, to fear of failure.  

 If we say we have imposter syndrome, we are talking about – on some level – not feeling enough or adequate in comparison to others around us.

 

It’s often a fear of being judged as being ‘too ahead of our stations’ and not being enough for the job in hand and somehow getting found out as a fraud.

We feel we are imposters as we simply do not know enough or feel we have enough to offer. 

 

I believe that every single human being is enough to be and exist, we are born this way.We all have something so unique to offer in life and yet we are all imposters.

 

Every single day we wake up to a new day. We may do the same things we do every day, but the experience we have will not be identical. It’s always new on some level, we are always learning and exploring wether we ant to or not!

 

There is unknown and uncertainty attached to every day, and therefore we all wake up every day as an imposter to that day:

Lolo Stubbs Author
Imposter Syndrome

We have something to learn, opportunity to grow and certainly something unique to offer to the world! 

 

I am happy being an imposter, I feel excited by the idea of the unknown, uncertainty and the opportunity for newness. If that means I am an imposter then I am here for it!

 I haven’t always felt like that, I used to hate uncertainty as I didn’t believe I was in control, I didn’t trust myself or understand myself enough to ease into my ‘imposterness’ – I know that’s not a word but you know what I mean! 

 When I support those who would describe themselves as an imposter I don’t try to convince them they are not, but rather see that they are in some ways and why does that need to matter? What if thats an advantage? I would also encourage you to explore and reflect internally if you find yourself feeling like an imposter, and this then stops you from doing things or achieving things you would like to, why you may stop yourself? What are you actually afraid of? Is it the unknown and uncertainty? Its likely! 

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Imposter Syndrome – Do you feel like an imposter?

Est. Reading Time: 5 minutesImposter syndrome and the anxiety surrounding that feeling of ‘Imposter Syndrome’ is something I still hear a lot of people talk about in one way or another and I I have a view on it that may differ to others, but I would love you to hear me out and see if I can help you adjust your own perspective of what it means to be an imposter!

read more

THE POWER OF 10 MINUTE WORKOUT

THE POWER OF 10 MINUTE WORKOUT

Est. Reading Time: 6 minutes

The Power of 10 Minute workouts

Should busy mums be embracing shorter workouts to get better results? Mum and personal trainer Jenny Francis-Townson investigates

WE know the power of regular exercise in transforming our physical and mental wellbeing.

But when you throw parenting into the mix it isn’t always as simple as “finding the motivation” to move your body.

You can have all the motivation in the world, but if you don’t have the TIME to use that motivation and fit in exercise, then it’s pretty useless.

And no one knows this better than mums.

Yes yes we all know about “the juggle” balancing kids, work, a social life, a relationship, healthy eating etc can be, but do the outside world – the non mum fitness tribes – really understand how little time we really have?

Targeting mums with “home workouts” to reduce the time it takes to get to a gym is all well and good, but if these workouts are 40 minutes, it’s still a hell of a lot of time to carve out of ones day.

10 Min Workouts
Edition 6 BROOD Magazine Banner

Enter the new era of 10 minute busy mamma workouts.

Ok, it might not seem convincing at first. Can you really expect to see results and reap the benefits of exercise with just 10 minutes in your living room?

The short answer? Yes.

The long answer, it’s all in the name of working towards consistency.

We know that the biggest barrier to consistent exercise for mums is time. Some days 45 minutes is miraculously doable, but the next week you can’t find that sort of time so you park the idea for another day and don’t fit in a workout.

This is where 10 minute workouts make very regular exercise very possible. AND they bring rewards if done correctly.

According to research, (https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2013/05000/HIGH_INTENSITY_CIRCUIT_TRAINING_USING_BODY_WEIGHT_.5.aspx) a seven minute workout can reap huge physical rewards – with a recent study finding that seven minutes of bodyweight high-intensity exercise improves muscular strength, insulin sensitivity and V02 max.

Not bad. But, many of these seven minute workouts you see online don’t include any type of warm up, and are often very beginner led, meaning the exercises don’t quite do it for fitter mums looking to maintain a decent level of physical fitness.

The answer? 10 minute workout blasts.

10 Min Workouts

Why?

Time-efficient

Easy to fit into most schedules

Easy to motivate yourself to do

Non-intimidating

Cardio fitness gains

Huge weightloss benefits

“The benefits of 10 minute workouts are that we can easily fit into most peoples schedules, so we don’t struggle to find the time or motivation to do them,” explains Jenny Francis-Townson, explains Jenny Francis-Townson, celebrity personal trainer, mum, and creator of the “busy mamma” workout series on home fitness app RWL (please link to)

“For most busy, working mums, our minds are constantly racing with things we need to do and it can be very easy to convince ourselves that 30  or 40 minutes of exercise just isn’t possible to squeeze in.

“But, 10 minutes? Oh there is no excuse not to do that.

“Instead of our brain’s telling us “40 minutes is too much, you don’t have the time or energy, there is too much other stuff to do, better leave it,” we are faced with less mental resistance.

“I can easily do that, I better put my gym kit on.”

“And the real beauty? Once we get moving and all that blood pumping round our body gives us that incredible wake up boost, the majority of us find we’re up for way more.

“We suddenly have more energy and realise other tasks can wait while we just carry on for another 10, and another 10.

“It’s allowing our mind to get over the first hurdle which is “I don’t have time to exercise” – once you’re over that, you’re off.”

 

So, how do you make these exercises effective enough if you are working out for shorter periods of time?

 

Jenny says: “You want to have a 10 minute exercise plan ready. Whether that’s following an online workout like the ones we have on RWL, or already having it written out and ready, you don’t want to waste time thinking about it.

 

“You want to keep your warm up to about a minute and work to a decent level of intensity. To measure this I always say, a level that gets your heart rate up enough that holding a conversation is possible, but uncomfortable.

“You can use equipment or your body weight, you can work non stop or use intervals, there are no hard and fast rules exactly, but you want to use that 10 minutes well.”

 

And it all makes sense. Daily movement is what most experts believe is key to maintaining a healthy weight, reaping the daily mental health benefits of movement and improving your physical health and if 10 minute workouts allow you to fit in daily exercise, rather than 45 minute sessions you can only squeeze in once a week, then 10 minutes wins.

 

 

 

10 Min Workouts

10 minute workout circuit to do TODAY

Warmup march on the spot for 20 seconds

Squat pulses for 20 seconds

Bum kicks for 20 seconds

 

Circuit

Squat reach

Shuffles

Speed punches

Curtsey lunges

Ski ergs

Walkouts

Quick feet

 

RWL is a home fitness app designed specifically for busy women. Time efficient workouts, full body training, led by expert PT’s. Get your first 7 days FREE visit rwl.fitness and follow @rwl on instagram

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Rib of beef, Celeriac Puree, & Pommes Anna Recipe by simon wood

Rib of beef, Celeriac Puree, & Pommes Anna Recipe by simon wood

Est. Reading Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients

As we hit the Autumn months, we asked our resident chef and food editor Simon Wood to share a mouth watering recipe:

 

Rib of beef, Celeriac Puree, & Pommes Anna

BY SIMON WOOD

Sticky Rib Sauce 

  • 2 Litre Beef Stock
  • 100ml Mirin
  • 100ml Gluten Free Soy
  • 50g Dashi Granules
  • 30ml Lemon Juice
  • 60g Brown Sugar

 

Beef Rib

Method 

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a steady simmer, in an oven proof pan add a little oil and brown your beef rib on all sides before adding the heated sauce mixture. Cook for 5 hours at 180ºc until tender

Remove the rib and chill in the fridge or if eating straight away remove from the sauce and then start to reduce the sauce into a sticky glaze in a pan and then re add the rib once the sauce is thickened and sticky

 

BROOD Magazine

Salt bake pastry (Salt baked celeriac sheets)

 

Celeriac Puree

  • 1kg celeriac peeled and sliced
  • 50g unsalted butter 
  • 200ml double cream

Method 

Thinly slice the celeriac before adding the double cream and unsalted butter, and cooking in a saucepan on a low heat for 30 minutes. Then, place into a food processor and blend into a puree.

Spring Onions

Slice thinly and add to iced-water to curl

Pommes Anna

  • 1kg Redskin Potato (Like a Rooster)
  • 250g Butter
  • 1 Bulb Garlic Halved
  • 1 Bunch Thyme
  • 3 Spring Rosemary
  • 1/2 tea spoon maldon sea salt

Method

Add your butter and aromats to a low heat and soften for 6-8 minutes to infuse with the garlic, rosemary & thyme flavour. Then pass so you just have butter left, season it with salt

Peel and thinly slice your potatoes before layering in a small oven proof rectangular dish, add a little butter with every layer and cook until soft at 170ºc for 35 minutes. Chill in the fridge and Fry until golden when required.

Rib of Beef
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Est. Reading Time: 14 minutesYes, you read that right.

And that is frightening.

Long-term sitting down is now linked to more chronic illness and ill health such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes etc than smoking is.

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“If I can do it, so can you!”  Entrepreneur Ryan T Williams

“If I can do it, so can you!”  Entrepreneur Ryan T Williams

Est. Reading Time: 62 minutes

Interview: Ryan t williams

__________________________________

Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker and Dad of two, Ryan Williams is a leading innovator in the digital media space, recognized for co-founding some of the largest social media publishing brands in the UK, which includes KOMI Group and It’s Gone Viral. After quitting his well-paid, 9-5 job in I.T. to pursue his dream of starting a social media business, Ryan went on to play a crucial role in creating platforms that bring people together while redefining content creation and distribution. His expertise in growth hacking has led to the development of some of the most popular football-centric Twitter accounts that have become staples in Europe’s online sports community. Only 6 years after starting his own business Ryan curated a successful exit from KOMI Group for a seven-figure sum, with his driving force being to spend more time with his young daughters. Since his exit from the company in 2022 Ryan has shifted his focus towards nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs. His passion for speaking and mentorship is demonstrated in his active participation in panels, webinars, and discussions aimed at sharing his insights with those poised to become future leaders in business. We asked Ryan to share what drives him to keep going despite already being a multi-millionaire and what top tips he would give to anyone else in business…

Russell Kane and his wife Lindsey founders of Jolt my world

Ryan T Williams and his family by Tom Pitfield © BROOD Magazine

Ryan Williams Entrepreneur

Ryan T Williams Book is out November 2024

After achieving such huge success in business, what drives you to keep going now?

“I’m not ready for the golf course! In all seriousness, I am 35 now and still have that massive desire to want more. There is a reason entrepreneurs become serial entrepreneurs and that’s because of the mindset we have. Selling a successful business isn’t like a lucky lottery win, it’s the result of years of graft and hard work. Once you do it once you get the hunger to do it again. It sounds cliche but success breeds success. Success can always be the result of failure too, some of the best entrepreneurs in the world have had massive failures but never let it derail them. Dust yourself off and go again” 

When you are asked to attend talks and motivational speeches do you try to provide ‘takeaways’ for fellow business owners that can help them improve their business or mindset?

“Yes, there is a lot I like to leave people feeling inspired. One thing I pride myself on is being a completely normal guy. I went from a 9-5 IT job to selling my business for a multi-million deal. Whilst there were years of graft involved in that my overarching theme is always “If I can do it why can’t you?” if only one person leaves my talks feeling like I have done my job. Also when I’m speaking to younger students/university leavers etc about business I really enjoy inspiring them at a young age. I was lost at school and college and I ironically HATED business studies. If someone with my story could encourage the new generation of business owners then that would make me so so proud!”

Has becoming a Dad changed the way you want to run a business and your definition of success?

“When my eldest daughter was born I started to play with Twitter as a hobby in 2013. Then in 2016 I went full-time on the business then we had Mia! So having two kids under 4 really drove me to succeed. One of the big reasons I took the exit though was to spend more time with them and make memories. I enjoy being there for them when I am needed, I’m a very hands-on dad! They won’t be young forever so I am loving making the most of it. Success to me is being able to provide for my family and giving them the best time and opportunities they can get.”

BROOD Live
Your Digital Handyman

Do you think watching you run your own business inspires your girls? And how do you encourage them to believe in their dreams?

I hope they do. They probably take for granted just how about I am but I know my eldest is starting to understand it now. I encourage them to believe in their dreams like I do all young people, try and focus on something you enjoy and see where it takes you. You’re going to be working probably for 50+ years of your life so pick something you’re going to like doing! Same with their hobbies, do it whilst you enjoy it but don’t be afraid to try new things.

Ryan is regularly found telling his story on stage. He talks about building brands from the ground up, and challenges he’s faced along the way – and is an avid campaigner for reshaping curriculums for young, future leaders. Ryan takes a lot of joy in giving back to fellow business owners where he can, so we asked him to share his top tips for people in business – turn the page to check them out!

  • Ryan is regularly found telling his story on stages.
    He talks building publishing brands from the ground up, challenges he’s faced along the way – and is an avid campaigner for reshaping curriculums for young, future leaders.
  • And is giving back through mentorship and coaching.
    From sitting with leadership teams to discuss their goals and how to get there, to sharing his journey with future business leaders, Ryan takes a lot of joy in giving back to the media world.
Ryan T Williams Speaking

DIARY OF A DADPRENEUR: Ryan’s UPDATE

Well since the last edition I featured in its safe to say it’s not been dull! I’ve learnt to never ever fly anywhere on April fool’s day. On 1st April myself my wife Jenna and the two kids flew to Tenerife to go to our favourite resort and hotel the GF Victoria in Playa Del Duque but it quickly all went very wrong. From landing I felt really feverish and had a tight chest, I went to the local GP pharmacist who prescribed me antibiotics and a good night’s rest after travelling. Well, that good night’s rest didn’t happen, the cough I developed was frightening and kept the whole family up ALL night. I decided the next day I would be Ok I just needed to “sleep it off on the sunbed”. This didn’t happen and I got worse, after trying to go for a walk for our evening meal and suddenly feeling like I couldn’t breathe I realised things weren’t right. I went down to the hotel reception and they immediately rang a taxi and told me to go to their local A and E. Long story short and after what felt like an eternity on the phone to the insurance company and one emergency X-ray later, I got admitted with.. PNEUMONIA. Yes, that’s right, fit 34-year-old me being admitted with a lung infection on a luxury family holiday. I was admitted Tuesday night and not discharged till Friday. It was horrendous to say the least. It took weeks to recover from as well when I finally got home. I feel like April and most of May were an absolute write off. It made me realise one massive thing though, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, if you aren’t with your family its pointless. I was 8 miles away in a hospital bed in quarantine and couldn’t see my children or wife Jenna all week. It was absolutely dreadful and one of the most heartbreaking experiences I’ve been through.

Once home though I managed to dose myself up for BROOD Live and really enjoyed giving a talk to the amazing brood family and friends. The contacts I have made since this event have been absolutely priceless. If you get chance to go to the next one.. GO

On the work front I am continuing the keynote talks to students, businesses as well as providing 1 to 1 coaching for other entrepreneurs on various fronts from social media to business. It’s something I am really enjoying doing.

** EXCLUSIVE KLAXON** A massive announcement I can make here is I am finally writing my book! There’s lots more details to come but this is the first place I am giving this news out. It’s going to be all about my business journey and career of how I went from 9-5 IT guy to multi-million-pound entrepreneur, but it’s not just another business autobiography oh no.. There’s a twist but all will be revealed..

Buy Ryan’s book on Amazon here

Learn more about his services on his website: Ryan T Williams – Speaker, Advisor, Mentor from Greater Manchester

Ryan T Williams
Edition 6 BROOD Magazine Banner

 KEEP UP TO DATE WITH BROOD:

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Please select all the ways you would like to hear from Brood Magazine:
You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our website.
We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

Related Articles

Top Ten tips for travelling with children

Est. Reading Time: 7 minutesTravelling with children can be hectic and stressful, however, it doesn’t have to be. Recently on a flight to Johannesburg, I experienced an extraordinary lady who was attempting the 11-hour flight on her own with three little ones as her husband was meeting them there. She was calm, organised and full of tricks. So here are some of her tricks with a few added tips from me.

read more