Author and ‘lean’ expert Michelle Leong has joined forces with a new business partner, award-winning marketing expert Debbie Gilbert to create ‘leaner’ living app to help users engineer a better, healthier and happier life.  Since the publication of her book “Being Lean: achieve a better quality of life at home, in health, travelling and at work”, Michelle, who lives in London, set out to create a platform to make lean living accessible to those who need it. “It’s been a long-held dream to be able to bring the ‘lean’ methodology into someone’s personal life,” said Michelle. “I wanted to create a membership…

Family Wise, the Wiltshire-based genealogy and heir tracing firm, is celebrating its 14th anniversary, marking more than a decade of sustained growth, international reach and deep community roots. Founded in 2012, Family Wise has evolved from a small operation into a globally connected business with a team of more than 40 employees worldwide. Over the past 14 years, the company has expanded its office space twice, moving from its original base to a new office in 2016 and then into its current premises in 2018 to accommodate continued growth. Kirsty Gray, Managing Director of Family Wise, said: “When I started…

Award-winning free-from food brand Creative Nature has partnered with Eurostar to include its children’s Mango & Carrot Kids Snack Bar in the Eurostar Kids Bag, helping to make family travel safer and more inclusive for children with food allergies. The partnership has been delivered in collaboration with MileOne, which identified Creative Nature as the right fit for Eurostar’s children’s offering after several months of working closely with the brand. The Mango & Carrot Kids Snack Bar, which is free from the UK’s top 14 allergens, will be included in the Eurostar Kids Bag, giving parents peace of mind and children…

Generational communication expert, author and President of the Professional Speaking Association UK & Ireland, Alastair Greener, is celebrating the first anniversary of his Generationally Speaking podcast, which has now reached 30 episodes and continues to explore how people of different ages see the world. Alastair said he launched the podcast to create more honest conversations across age groups and to challenge assumptions about how different generations think. “I wanted to create a space where people could share their experiences openly and where we could really listen to each other,” he said. “Over the past year it’s shown me just how…

A shopping centre in Wales – St David’s Dewi Sant in Cardiff – has been judged to have the best public ‘loos’ in the UK as winners of this year’s Loo of the Year Awards are announced (Weds Jan 14). Sixteen companies and individuals are flush with success today after receiving trophies at the annual awards, which took place at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull. More than 1,500 businesses from across the UK entered the annual awards to have their ‘away-from home’ washrooms and toilet facilities judged by a team of independent inspectors. Run by businesswoman Becky Wall BEM…

MANCHESTER, 13 Feb 2026: Sister, Manchester’s £1.7bn innovation district, and Platform94, Galway’s largest innovation hub, have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to give customers international access to working spaces, enabling Manchester and Galway based start-up businesses to easily expand overseas. The 12 month partnership is designed to benefit both hubs by offering reciprocal access to workplaces, encouraging collaboration and enhancing international links between the West of Ireland and Greater Manchester. Key features of the agreement include: Reciprocal Workspace Access: Customers of both Sister and Platform94 will benefit from free, short-term desk bookings, providing a “home away from home” for…

Technology company WestSpring IT is celebrating the first anniversary of Victoria Parker joining the business, reflecting on a year that has combined operational change, team development and continued investment in systems to support rapid growth. Victoria joined WestSpring as Chief Operating Officer following a 20-year career in specialist technology recruitment, where she rose to director level. Headhunted to support WestSpring through a period of expansion, she moved into a new industry with a clear operational focus on building on the company’s already strong foundations. “My priorities when I joined were people, systems and process, and I’m proud of the positive…

Paul Day, managing director of Berkshire-based document management company Filestream, is taking on the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April to raise money for baby charity Tommy’s. The half marathon takes runners through central London, passing some of the city’s best-known landmarks. Paul will be running as part of Team Tommy’s, supporting the charity’s work around miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth. This won’t be Paul’s first challenge for Tommy’s. In 2023, he took part in the charity’s Skyscraper Challenge, running up 42 floors of The Cheesegrater before abseiling back down. Since then, he’s continued to support the charity through fundraising…

According to the BBC, senior managers at the Co‑op have voiced concerns about a culture of ‘fear and alienation’ within the executive team, with one describing the organisation’s culture as ‘ruined’ and ‘toxic.’ According to a letter sent to the retailer’s board and seen by the BBC, senior staff described a workplace defined by “fear and alienation”, where managers felt unable to raise concerns about the direction of the business. Several employees reported feeling intimidated and afraid to speak openly, with one stating, “Nobody can speak their mind in this business – anyone who does has their card marked.” These accounts mirror the…

Established digital and brand agency Cite DMS, based in Leicestershire, has become an employee-owned trust (EOT), marking a new chapter centred on long-term stability, shared ownership and the protection of the business’s culture. Founded in 2000 as a digital-first agency, Cite DMS has evolved into a full-service agency delivering brand, strategy, creative and digital services to clients across a range of sectors. The move to employee ownership was recently completed and gives every member of the team a stake in the future of the business. Managing Director Laura Bent said the decision followed a period of natural transition for the…