EDITION 9

EDITION 9

Winter renos: The 5 best projects to start now

Winter renos: The 5 best projects to start now

Winter renos: The 5 best projects to start now Starting major interior renovations in the winter can be a smart strategy. Contractors are often more available, and you get all the messy, disruptive work done long before summer arrives.   Here are five of the best...

From School Runs to Holiday Drives: The Real-Life Impact of Upgrading to 19 Inch Alloy Wheels

From School Runs to Holiday Drives: The Real-Life Impact of Upgrading to 19 Inch Alloy Wheels

Family life means a car quickly becomes more than just transport. For instance, it becomes the school-run shuttle, the Saturday sports gear carrier, the late-evening supermarket dash, and even the long-distance holiday car. Therefore, with the car doing so many jobs, parents naturally look for upgrades that genuinely improve comfort, safety, and reliability. One change that’s often undervalued is switching to 19 Inch alloy wheels, which is a modification that can noticeably change how a family car handles day to day.

The Greek Island Holiday That Works for Everyone

The Greek Island Holiday That Works for Everyone

Are you looking to go on a Greek island holiday? For family groups comprising tourists of every age, this can often feel like a balancing act. You’ll need to keep everyone entertained while still giving the adults enough time to relax. And what if you’re taking along family friends, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, all of whom might bring along competing priorities and desires?

PETER SIDWELL’S HOMEMADE WAGONWHEELS & HOB-NOB STYLE BISCUITS

PETER SIDWELL’S HOMEMADE WAGONWHEELS & HOB-NOB STYLE BISCUITS

This month, I’m thrilled to share two of our all-time favourite bakes: our homemade Hob Nobs and nostalgic Wagon Wheels. These recipes are more than just sweet treats—they’re time capsules. The Hob Nobs came from a rainy weekend when we had oats, butter, and not much else in the cupboards. The kids loved rolling the dough into little biscuit balls and watching them flatten in the oven. Dipping them in chocolate was the final touch—well, that and licking the spoon clean!

How Tailored DJ Experiences Can Redefine Any Event

How Tailored DJ Experiences Can Redefine Any Event

In a world saturated with digital experiences and generic entertainment, the role of a DJ at events has evolved significantly. A skilled DJ can do more than just play music; they can curate an atmosphere, create memorable moments, and engage guests in an interactive way

Top 5 Benefits of Emergency Cold Room Hire

Top 5 Benefits of Emergency Cold Room Hire

In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of efficient cold storage cannot be overstated. Whether you’re managing a bustling restaurant, running a small café, or overseeing a major event, maintaining the integrity of perishable goods is essential.

Planning a Christmas Family Getaway

Planning a Christmas Family Getaway

If you’d like to get away from it all this winter, then planning the right festive getaway might be essential. You can take your family away to some far-flung wonderland, and perhaps even enjoy the day itself while you’re out there. You might find that this helps to create a more memorable occasion – but there are challenges to be anticipated here.

How does geothermal pipe installation work?

How does geothermal pipe installation work?

Over the past few years, heat pumps have shot up in popularity. Especially in the context of rising natural gas prices, they’re becoming increasingly attractive for a lot of home and business owners, thanks to their impressive efficiency and stable comparative costs.

Why might your business need smart lockers?

Why might your business need smart lockers?

Lockers are a pretty ubiquitous sight in most work settings. They serve an important role when it comes to temporary storage, especially when those storage needs are constantly changing or involve a large number of individuals

Mike Toolan

MIKE TOOLAN © TOM PITFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY “- there is a guilt anytime you do anything for yourself” Mike Toolan Award-winning Radio & TV Presenter, doting Dad of two, Mike Toolan, is one of the UK’s most loved presenters; with an impressive career spanning over 20...

Interview with Honest Mum

Motivational mum of two, Vicki Broadbent, better known as Honest Mum, is a name that has become synonymous with authentic and relatable parenting. Vicki has built a reputation for sharing her unfiltered thoughts and experiences on motherhood, marriage, and family life. With a refreshing dose of honesty and humour, Vicki’s blog has become a go-to resource for parents seeking real advice and reassurance. We asked Vicki about her journey from an award-winning director to a renowned creator, her new children’s book, and what inspires her to keep sharing her honest perspective with the world.

On Reflection with Jenny Powell

Jenny Powell is one of Britain’s best-loved presenters, bursting into the scene at only 16 years old. The inspiring Mum of two, already had a jam-packed career spanning almost a decade by the time she gave birth to her eldest daughter.

 Despite the turmoil in her personal life and adjusting to being a single mum of two, Jenny threw herself into the challenge of live TV and she tells of how having to flip that switch professionally helped her cope mentally.

IS GUILT A GIVEN WHEN YOU ARE A WORKING PARENT?

When I started to really see that my feelings of guilt came from the thoughts I had about myself, I started to see guilt as a wonderful alarm and indicator for me to actually lower my expectations of myself, relieve the pressure and be much more patient and compassionate with myself! It is simply and indicator that our thoughts have gone off in an unhelpful direction.

Interview with Entrepreneur Simon squibb – what’s your dream?

If you’re an entrepreneur, or have aspirations to start your own business, and you have a TikTok or Instagram account then you are sure to have heard the words, ‘’What’s your dream?” words that have become synonyms with renowned entrepreneur, Simon Squibb.

Interview with Mother Pukka – AKA Anna Whitehouse

Anna is formidable in her pursuit for equality in the workplace, fuelled by her passion to ensure that her girls, or any girls, don’t face a future where you can have your career snatched away from you just because you dared to have a baby; sadly this is something that Anna experienced first hand.

SALLY LINDSAY: CHILDCARE CAN BE SEEN AS A ‘DIRTY WORD’, BUT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH IT

Sally Lindsay is one of Britain’s best loved actors and presenters, best known for her roles as Shelley Unwin in ITV’S Coronation Street, Lisa Johnson in Sky One’s comedy series Mount Pleasant, and as Kath Agnew in the BBC sitcom Still Open All Hours.

Dining Table Date Night – Ox Cheek Tagliatelle with Simon Wood

SIMON WOOD COOKS Ox Cheek Tagliatelle| SIMON WOOD OF WOOD MANCHESTER AND WoodKraft Cheltenham. IMAGES © BROOD MAGAZINE "POUR YOURSELF A GLASS OF SOMETHING YOU ENJOY, POP ON YOUR FAVOURITE MUSIC TO UNWIND TO AND START TO COOK..." Welcome back to Brood food, Last time...

DISNEYLAND PARIS: EDITOR REVIEW

If you’re looking for an extra special holiday to enjoy with the children, then it really is hard to beat a Disney holiday. We’ve been on two Disney holidays now and both were filled with lots happy tears. Our first trip was on a Disney Cruise back when we only had our oldest two children, so this year we did decided to give Disneyland Paris a go, to see how our little ones tolerated the flights and the rides.

Helen Skelton on her career, motherhood and changing the narrative

© BROOD MAGAZINE. HELEN SKELTON AND TWO OF HER CHILDREN “...things happen in life and then you get put on a different path” Inspirational Mum of three, Helen Skelton, is one of Britain’s best-loved Television presenters. Helen started her presenting career at...

CHRISTMAS DAY RECIPES – SIMON WOOD

Restauranteur. Culinary Expert and MasterChef Winner shares his best recipes for the all important Christmas Dinner this Christmas.

THE POWER OF 10 MINUTE WORKOUT

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...

Tips and Tricks from fellow working parents doing the juggle

TIPS AND TRICKS FROM FELLOW WORKING PARENTS DOING THE DAILY JUGGLE... _ Since we first launched BROOD Magazine we have been lucky enough to speak to a host of parents, who like us and you, are doing the juggle between work and parenting daily. In each interview we’ve...

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.

From Parliament to the Premier League: Campaigning for survivors of domestic abuse during this #16DaysOfActivism

Our Head of Social Causes and Sub-Editor Teresa Parker was joined by BROOD Editor-in Chief Lolo Stubbs at an event in Parliament on the 2nd December 2025 to mark ten years of coercive control legislation. Teresa organised the event through her consultancy Teresa Parker Media, in partnership with Hawkins, Laxton & Co, which is run by her former colleagues Clare and Sian.

CHARLOTTE HAWKINS INTERVIEW: Mum of one, TV and radio presenter

Mum of one, TV and radio presenter, Charlotte Hawkins has firmly cemented a place as one of Britain’s most loved TV presenters. She is one of the first faces millions of Brits see each morning, as co-host of ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

BUSINESS, BALANCE & LIFE AS A BLENDED FAMILY – Apprentice Star Aaron Willis and his wife Vicky Willis

Successful entrepreneur Aaron Willis is best known for his appearance on The Apprentice, Series 16, but many won’t realise how inspiring his story is and how the many challenges that he has faced throughout the years has given him the drive and determination to succeed in business, aswell as the passion to give back to charity – one of which he is now CEO of – STRIDE UK – which he juggles alongside his successful businesses

INSPIRATIONAL MUM ON A MISSION: ANNA KENNEDY OBE

© BROOD MAGAZINE. ANNA KENNEDY OBE  “We re-mortgaged our home and set up a school!” Inspirational Mum of two, Anna Kennedy OBE has been a trailblazer for Autism Awareness since the 1990’s; when her two boys, Patrick and Angelo, and were diagnosed with Autism. When...

Sarah Jayne Dunn & Jon Smith: On Creating more time with your family outdoors

It can be hard to find balance in life when we are so busy with all the other things that we have to juggle. One thing that has stood out since starting BROOD, is just how many of us are constantly looking for more ways to try switch off and spend quality time as a family. It’s also clear that we all want to incorporate ways to exercise into our weekly routine and encourage our kids to be active and outdoors too, but it can be hard to fit it in when there is only so many hours in the day! So, with a new sport activity sweeping exciting across the UK – Padel – we just had to find out what all the hype was all about, and to see if it was an activity that would fit into family life.

School Attendance at an all time low, but what’s the reason?

School attendance is at a crisis level, but the key issue is not a cheaper couple of days at Center Parcs, but the very serious issue educational settings not being able to meet children’s needs be that for children with SEN needs, or the who are experiencing bullying and experiencing anxiety, especially post-Covid and the experience of lockdowns on children and young people.

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