Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 120 of 1073

Saint Michael’s midnight walk set to return to Harrogate after nine years

Harrogate’s midnight walk in aid of St Michael’s Hospice is set to return this year after a nine-year break.

The event, the Midnight Glow Walk, will be held on September 21 and will start at 10pm from Ashville Sports Centre.

The 10km route will take supporters across the Stray, around Harrogate Town Centre, and through Valley Gardens, with walkers finishing around midnight, again at the sports centre.

St Michael’s Hospice is a care charity that provides care and support to people affected by terminal illness in the Harrogate district.

The charity is hopeful that over 1,000 walkers will join the walk. It will be in tribute to the thousands of families Saint Michael’s supports each year.

The event is open to everyone and can be walked in tribute or just for the fun. Hospice supporter, Philippa, will be taking part in the Midnight Glow Walk in tribute to her husband, Ivan, with the couple’s two daughters Sofia and Liliana aged 10 and six.

In 2016, aged 45 Ivan was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer. By the time the diagnosis was confirmed, the cancer was too advanced for treatment

Philippa said;

“It was the hardest part of our lives but that five weeks at Saint Michael’s enabled us to have special time as a family. We felt very fortunate. Ivan used to say ‘Don’t count the days – make the days count’’ and Saint Michael’s helped us to do that. Saint Michael’s Hospice is a very special place for us.

“The care they gave Ivan in his last five weeks was fantastic and really took the pressure off; it let us be a family and make some very happy memories – for this we will always be very grateful.”

“We can’t wait to take on the Midnight Glow Walk. Taking part in events for Saint Michael’s and raising any amount of money is really important. The hospice doesn’t just take wonderful care of the patients they really are there for the whole family immediately and for however long you need their support.”

Ivan (left) and Phillippa with their daughter Sofia.

The event hub at Ashville Sports Centre opens from 8.30pm, with pre-walk entertainment and refreshments. The walk will begin with a staggard start from 10pm.

The event is non-competitive and is not timed, and participants are encouraged to take their time and soak up the atmosphere.

Saint Michael’s vital services includes caring for people living with terminal illness in their own homes, and at their Hornbeam Park-based Crimple House Hospice. Specialist bereavement and emotional support service Just ‘B’ is part of their family of services, supporting children, young people and adults across North Yorkshire.

Harrogate florist wins third gold medal at RHS Chelsea Flower ShowYorkshire law firm shares top tips to help family businesses flourish“I’m in it to win it,” says Labour candidate in Harrogate and Knaresborough

You’d be hard pressed to find a parliamentary constituency in the north of England less traditionally Labour than Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The party has never finished higher than third at a general election, polled just 9.6% in 2019 and even finished fourth behind UKIP in 2015.

But the landscape has changed: nationally, the party is riding high in the polls and Labour’s David Skaith was elected mayor of York and North Yorkshire this month. Is Harrogate and Knaresborough, however, a bridge too far?

The party unveiled Conrad Whitcroft as its candidate hours before Rishi Sunak announced the general election would be held on July 4.

Labour has designated Harrogate and Knaresborough a non-battleground seat, meaning it won’t be deploying too many resources. Don’t expect to see Keir Starmer posing for photos outside Bettys.

Mr Whitcroft is aware of the rumours. He jokes:

“I’ve been told I’m a paper candidate so many times I can actually hear myself rustle.”

But he insists he isn’t making up the numbers:

“I am a candidate on the ballot paper so of course I’m in it to win it. It would be foolish of me to run and not want to win and I will absolutely be trying my hardest to convince the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough to have a Labour MP.”

The Lib Dems claim it is a two-horse race between them and the Conservatives. Even some Labour supporters are thinking of voting tactically for Lib Dem candidate Tom Gordon as the best way to oust Conservative Andrew Jones.

But Mr Whitcroft says the area would be better served by him rather than Mr Gordon as MP:

“Labour, I hope, will be the next party of government. It’s not just about getting the Tories out. The question now is what is going to come next. Having a candidate from the party of government would be a key advantage.”

Local priorities

Mr Whitcroft began campaigning for the Labour Party aged 16 in his native Northampton. He moved to York to study politics at university and has remained there since. He is now a propositional development manager at insurance firm Aviva.

He was elected as a City of York councillor last year and will be just 25 years old on polling day. He was too young to vote for or against Brexit but says he would have opted to remain.

There has been an influx of twenty-something politicians of various political colours since the start of last year. The Lib Dems selected Mr Gordon as its candidate; Labour’s Keir Mather won the Selby and Ainsty by-election and Conservative councillor Keane Duncan overseas highways on North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Whitcroft says many people of his generation were politicised by the seriousness of covid, adding:

“It’s important to have young people represented in politics. I think it’s improved markedly over the past few years.”

Mr Whitcroft with party supporters.

A member of Harrogate-born Mr Skaith’s mayoral campaign team, he applied to be a Labour parliamentary candidate anywhere in North Yorkshire. Two weeks ago he was told to expect to be chosen for Harrogate and Knaresborough, subject to confirmation from the party’s governing National Executive Committee.

He was formally adopted in front of 30 or 40 party members at St Robert’s Club in Harrogate on Tuesday night last week.

Mr Whitcroft cites cleaning the River Nidd, hospital waiting lists, congestion, potholes and establishing a municipal bus service as priority issues. What about the Harrogate Station Gateway?

He says he supports the emphasis on active travel “but the implementation has been really poor”, which he says is symptomatic of “Conservative-run incompetence” in local government.

He enthusiastically backs Mr Starmer’s plans to build 1.5 million houses over the course of the next parliament:

“I think that’s a cracking idea and I hope to buy one. I’m a member of Generation Rent. By the time my dad was my age he had bought his first house. It doesn’t feel like even people in higher income brackets in my age group have a hope.”

He talks about this being the start of building up Labour locally:

“When the Harrogate Town Council is properly formed we will have a campaign machine in place so we can start winning Labour councillors once more.”

But short-term, is the idea of Labour winning in Harrogate and Knaresborough fanciful?

“David (Skaith) proves that’s wrong. Harrogate and Knaresborough is now under a Labour combined authority. I don’t think anyone could ever have imagined saying that.

“Labour is definitely the party that is going to be able to bring the best opportunities in Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

He insists he is the man to do it and says his City of York council victory in Fishergate over a long-standing Green councillor “proves I can win”.

“People have written me off before and have written me off at their peril. Don’t let my youth make you think otherwise. I’m definitely capable of being a candidate people of Harrogate and Knaresborough can be proud of and I’ll be doing my absolute best to be their MP.”

Council to stay neutral on any future BID votes

North Yorkshire Council has announced it will not use its voting power to influence ballots on the creation of business improvement districts (BIDs).

The purpose of BIDs is to boost economic activity within their area, and they are funded by an additional levy on local business ratepayers. In Harrogate, the 1.5% levy raises more than £500,000 a year.

BIDs are created following a majority vote by these ratepayers, which include local authorities. Because councils own so much town-centre property, they typically wield considerable voting power.

Harrogate BID was first created in 2018 after business ratepayers voted for it, and the result was in part due to the support and votes of Harrogate Borough Council. Ripon BID was created in 2021, also in part due to the support of the council.

But when Harrogate BID came up for renewal in 2023, North Yorkshire Council – Harrogate Borough Council’s successor – chose not get involved, leaving it to businesses to decide. That vote went through with 76% in favour; the council’s backing would have added a further 12% to that figure.

In its latest announcement, which was prompted by a vote on the Yorkshire Coast BID, North Yorkshire Council has maintained that stance and formalised it.

A decision of the chief executive published this week stated:

“The council is aware that due to its rateable value across North Yorkshire, that if it were to vote there is a risk that it could have a disproportionate impact on the outcome of the ballot. It is estimated that North Yorkshire may hold around 10% of the voting value for the YC BID.

“The council therefore intends to abstain in the forthcoming Yorkshire Coast ballot, or other future BID levy ballots across North Yorkshire, to limit its influence and ensure it is businesses who determine the outcome.”

Locally, the decision affects Harrogate and Ripon, where BIDs are already in place, and may in the future affect Knaresborough, if businesses there decide to create one. They narrowly voted against the idea in 2021.

In Harrogate, town centre businesses will next be able to vote on whether or not to fund Harrogate BID for a third term in 2028. Ripon BID comes up for renewal in 2026.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate based Homes For Students welcomes new £17m shareholder

Harrogate-based purpose-built student accommodation company, Homes For Students (HFS), has welcomed a new major shareholder.

International real estate company Far East Orchard Limited has bought a 49% stake in the business in a deal worth £17.6 million.

Founded in 2015, HFS operates over 40,000 beds in more than 50 university towns and cities in the UK and Ireland.

Far East Orchard moved into the development and investment of purpose-built student accommodation in the UK in 2015. Legal firm Raworths, also based in Harrogate, advised HFS on the deal, having represented the company since its inception.

Martin Corbett, chief executive officer for Homes for Students said:

“The shareholders and I are pleased to welcome Far East Orchard as a new principal investor to the Homes for Students team following their purchase of 49% of the share capital from four of our exiting investors.

“Since May 2023, we have been operating Far East Orchard’s PBSA property and already established a successful partnership. We very much look forward to continuing to grow our enterprise together, investing in our people, technology and new business streams.

Far East Orchard was represented by CMS and the exiting investors were advised by Walker Morris and Dentons.

Harrogate architects become a B Corp

S+SA Architects has announced its certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp).

Verified by B Lab the certification assesses the entirety of a business’ operations and currently covers five main impact areas: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers.

Joel Smith, director of S+SA Architects, said:

“Over the past 10 years, our practice has grown, establishing a modern practice ethos that has people at the centre of its purpose. We pursued B Corp Certification to join like-minded businesses meeting high standards of social and environmental impact.”

Harrogate Hotel win TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards 2024

Cedar Court Hotel Harrogate team

Cedar Court Hotel has been recognised in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards for 2024.

Cedar Court Hotel Harrogate hotel has celebrated its second consecutive win, while the Bradford branch recorded its first win.

Wayne Topley, managing director of Cedar Court Hotels, said:

“We are so proud of what our teams have achieved; these awards are a testament to the significant investments and renovations each hotel has undergone and the focus on the teams and our customers that is now very much part of our DNA.”

Oliver Stott, hotel manager for Harrogate, said:

“This has been a real journey. In 2019, the hotel ranked 25th in the Harrogate Market on TripAdvisor. I am so proud of the team and that they receive daily positive recognition for their efforts.”

Yorkshire audiologists introduce new clinic:

Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists has introduced a specialist service as the number of tinnitus cases in the UK continues to rise.

According to Tinnitus UK, prevalence of the condition has increased by 50 per cent in the last 15 years. Bayfields new Tinnitus Clinic, introduced to tackle the condition will include a free 15-minute tinnitus hearing health check.

Patients who are diagnosed with the condition will then be invited to an in-depth 75 minute personalised examination to determine the extent and cause.

Sarah Griffiths, tinnitus specialist audiologist at Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists, said:

“We’re seeing a real increase in clients who are suffering with the effects of tinnitus in recent years, and it’s affecting people of all ages. Modern life and the increased use of technology such as headphones, coupled with a faster paced lifestyle and higher stress levels can all play a role in the development of tinnitus.

Harrogate company become official on-seller of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix tickets

Tom Hesketh, Chloe Goodall, Luke Edwards, Joe Aikman from Impulse Decisions at the desert experience

Harrogate-based events company Impulse Decisions is one of only five companies in the UK to be official on-sellers of tickets for this years Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The event takes place on 5th-9th December this year.

Currently based in Windsor House in Harrogate, but moving to new offices soon, Impulse Decisions also offer a range of other sporting events and corporate hospitality in addition to their charity auctions.

Grantley Hall to sponsor Ebor Fashion Lawn

Megan Nicholls pictured outside Grantley Hall

Grantley Hall, Ripon, is set to be this year’s headline sponsor of the Ebor Fashion Lawn.

The event will take place across The Sky Bet Ebor Festival, from August 21-24 at York Racecourse.

The Ebor Fashion Lawn is a catwalk that’s open to all during the races, offering the opportunity for the most stylishly dressed to show off their outfits, whilst a judging panel will then select the best dressed each day of the festival.

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Council facing questions over 76% rise in expulsions

North Yorkshire Council is facing calls to explain the reasons behind the “shocking” 76% rise in expulsions.

An officer’s report to a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s executive on Tuesday (May 28) has revealed the latest available figures – for the academic year ending last July – saw 95 children permanently excluded from mainstream schools, an increase from 54 from the previous year.

The report states the trend has continued into the current academic year and that there were also 1,607 more suspensions in the year to the end of March, an increase of 34%.

The authority’s executive member for education, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, has been approached for comment.

When asked what was behind the increase, council officers did not directly respond, instead stating “persistent and general disruptive behaviour is the primary reason for exclusions in North Yorkshire accounting for over half of all exclusions”.

However, teaching unions have stated schools have insufficient resources to support pupils and earlier this year it emerged schools across North Yorkshire had forecast they are likely to face a collective annual deficit of more than £11m in just over two years.

Officers said the financial challenges were partly due to the high costs of providing education across a vast rural area not being being properly recognised by the government.

According to the latest Department for Education data, England and Wales saw the largest number of suspensions on record for one term last spring.

The Association of School and College Leaders says mental health issues, unmet special educational needs, disengagement with the curriculum and family issues are behind the national trend.

An Ofsted study published last year found 42 per cent of teachers had noted a decrease in behavior standards since the pandemic, partly due to a lack of “socialisation”.

Nevertheless, research by IBB Law published in March found exclusion rates for the five years to 2022 to be markedly higher in Yorkshire and the North-East than anywhere else in the country.

In 2019 the authority unveiled detailed plans to support a sea change in the way children at risk of exclusion were handled, described by the authority as a “preventative and inclusive culture”.

When asked if its strategies to reduce the number of children being excluded were working, a council spokesman said:

“Data relating to exclusions in North Yorkshire is similar to or below national levels. Preventative work is underway and is resulting in a number of children successfully remaining in schools.”

Former teacher and North Yorkshire Council’s children and families scrutiny committee chair, Councillor Barbara Brodigan, said she wanted to know how deeply the council was investigating the reasons behind the “shocking” exclusions rise.

Cllr Brodigan, who used to work with children at risk of exclusion and those who had been excluded, said changes the council introduced in 2019 “had not had any impact at all”.

She said:

“Is it linked to Ofsted inspections? Schools have been known to suspend children prior to an inspection because they don’t want disruptive children in the school.

“When I used to ask permanently excluded young people why they didn’t engage at school it was often due to the curriculum offer and how it was delivered.

“Locality boards are working with head teachers to develop creative alternative solutions. Schools hands are tied with the curriculum, but not how it is delivered. These children need extra support.”

Explained: The new constituency which will cover part of the Harrogate district

Voters in some parts of the Harrogate district will fall under a new constituency in six weeks’ time.

Polling day on July 4 will be the first time that the Wetherby and Easingwold seat will be contested.

The constituency replaces part of the former Selby and Ainsty seat, which will now be known as Selby.

In this article, the Stray Ferret looks at the implications of the new constituency and explains why it has been introduced and what it means for voters in our district.

Why has Wetherby and Easingwold been introduced?

In June 2023, the Boundary Commission made final recommendations to government over changes to constituency boundaries.

As part of a periodical review of the 650 constituencies in the UK, it looked at whether some seats needed to be reduced in size, increased in size or abolished altogether.

Among the recommendations was to introduce a new constituency called Wetherby and Easingwold.

At the time, Tim Bowden, secretary of the Boundary Commission, said the proposals were made following extensive consultation.

The Wetherby and Easingwold seat.

He added that the move to change the boundaries was made to “best to reflect local community ties”.

The changes, which include retaining a total of 650 constituencies across the UK, see each seat contain no less than 69,724 voters and no more than 77,062.

Where in the Harrogate district will fall under the new constituency?

Wetherby and Easingwold will take in areas of five current constituencies including Harrogate and Knaresborough, Thirsk and Malton, Elmet and Rothwell, Selby and Ainsty and Skipton and Ripon.

A total of 5.6% of the current Harrogate constituency will fall under the new seat.

This includes Boroughbridge, Minskip, Marton-cum-Grafton, the Dunsforths, Ripley and Nidd.

Goldsborough, Flaxby, Allerton Park, Hopperton, Follifoot, Spofforth and Burton Leonard will also be added to the seat.

The estimated electorate size of the new constituency will be 71,455.

Who will be contesting the seat?

It’s early days in the election campaign, but two candidates have already been announced for the seat.

Current Elmet and Rothwell MP, Alec Shelbrook, will contest the constituency for the Conservatives.

Mr Shelbrook’s current seat is among those being abolished as part of the boundary review.

Meanwhile, Reform UK will field Mike Jordan as its candidate and James Monaghan will stand for the Liberal Democrats in the new constituency.

So far, Labour and Greens have yet to announce candidates for the seat.

Former Harrogate working men’s club thriving in its 125th year

A former working men’s club in Harrogate is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

The Oatlands is bucking a decades-long nationwide trend that has seen many other similar clubs decline or close.

It has managed not just to survive but to thrive, with membership numbers topping pre-pandemic levels – and rising.

Founded on November 1, 1889, the club has earned its place as a vibrant part of the community through an ability to adapt with the changing times, and a proactive approach to investing in its facilities.

An ethos of inclusivity and a warm welcome has helped, too. Visit The Oatlands on any given day and you’ll find a mix of members. There are the older regulars who drop in for a drink and a chat at the same time every day. The cricket and football teams enjoying a post-match pint. Mums and kids popping in after school pick-up, and dog walkers stopping by for refreshment. Clubs and groups gathering for their weekly sessions.

It’s what the club is all about, said Lucy Hague, the secretary on the 11-strong committee.

“A lot of it is about our community using it. We are here: Come and use us. It’s great when we get new faces – we are really welcoming.”

Changing times

black and white image of a working men's club in harrogate

Oatlands Mount Working Men’s Club in 1967.

Across the UK, there has been an estimated 75 per cent drop in the number of working men’s clubs during the last half century. In Harrogate, the National Reserve Club closed in 2021, while High Harrogate WMC shut in February this year.

But instead of declining, The Oatlands’ membership is growing. From 888 members at the end of 2020, by the end of 2023 there were 1,158. Thirty joined last month alone. And members don’t just come from the local community. Some are from the other side of town and even as far as Leeds.

It’s a diverse membership, too, with men and women of all ages taking advantage of the bargain £10 annual fee. Many have life membership, automatically bestowed after 25 years. One has been a member since 1956.

A name change has been successful in enticing more people through the door. Originally called Oatlands Mount Working Men’s Club, a rebrand in 2019 aimed to dispel the ‘cloth cap image’ and reflect a more modern, diverse and welcoming ethos.

Other clubs in Harrogate have since followed suit, with Bilton ditching the reference in 2022 and Starbeck becoming Forest Club last year. Nationally, around 60 per cent of the clubs still in existence have changed their name.

Lucy, whose late father Ron Hague joined the club aged 16 and served as president in the 1990s, said:

“I remember when I was little, women weren’t allowed in here. Now we are getting a lot more ladies than we ever used to. Our vice president and bar manager are women. There is much better representation than in the past. Kids and dogs are also welcome. It’s a very mixed community.”

“It’s about our community using it”

The Oatlands committee: Gordon Selby, Lucy Hague, Brian Rhodes, Lesley Watson, Ivor Stainton, George Elmes, Rob Jackson, Mark Bowers, Simon Williams and David Dorsey. Absent, Andrew Milestone

The club’s facilities are varied. There’s a lounge, snug and bar area, where live sports matches are regularly televised. A large function room hosts special events such as comedy nights and live music, and can be hired by members free of charge for private celebrations.

On the first floor are two snooker tables, darts, a table tennis room and a meeting room. There’s even a beer garden, where summer barbecues and other outdoor events are held.

Led by members’ suggestions, the committee organises a range of activities, from children’s Halloween discos to charity fundraisers, quiz nights, and coach trips to the coast or the Christmas markets. Lucy said:

“A lot of what we do is about our community using us. There’s always been an issue with clubs like ours getting young people to join but we get all ages here. Young people come to use the pool and snooker tables. We recently held a Beyonce and Rhianna music night, and a lot of young girls came.”

Everyone at the club cares about it and wants to see it do well. The committee works hard to create a hub for the whole community, re-investing money to improve facilities and infrastructure. Over the last couple of years around £65,000 has been spent on refurbishing the toilets, revamping the outdoor space and improving accessibility, among other things. A redesign of the bar is up next.

Even the beer is good: For the second consecutive year, The Oatlands was this month named Club of the Year by the Harrogate & Ripon branch of Camra, the Campaign for Real Ale.

Bar manager Kate Shutt and assistant Elena Watson receive the Camra award from a branch representative.

In November members will be marking the club’s anniversary with a live band, comedy night and a buffet. Lucy said:

“We were worried during covid that things might take a turn for the worse but we’re doing better now than pre-pandemic. We are thriving, and it’s something to celebrate.”

The Harrogate business group providing in-person meetings in an ‘increasingly virtual society’

(Above: Harrogate Business Group)

According to data from the Office of National Statistics, there were more businesses created in North Yorkshire in 2023 than any previous year – and 1,556 of that record-breaking number can be found in Harrogate.

With such an influx of new companies and entrepreneurs, is there still a feeling of community amongst local businesses? After all, the benefits of connecting within the local area are numerous and multi-faceted including finding support, fulfilment and offering an organic way to expand a professional network.

One group that seeks to encourage this is the Harrogate Business Group. It holds networking and development workshops that aim to empower entrepreneurs of all ages, and helps them to build a strong community in Harrogate.

The challenges of being online

While owning and running an independent business has many positives, in an increasingly digital world it can also be challenging.

With the business world migrating online, it can become an isolated place; inundated by social media content that only celebrates success or presents a carefully curated highlight reel, it’s easy to see how obstacles can feel harder to navigate.

Valuing face-to-face relationships

The Harrogate Business Group places great emphasis on in-person meetings. Its regular Breakfast Networking Events are one of the ways the organisation provides a platform for this.

Taking place every Friday over breakfast at Cedar Court Hotel, business owners, representatives and entrepreneurs can meet and share their advice and experiences face-to-face, rather than virtually.

Speaking at the last event which took place on Friday, May 10, Martin Taylor, owner of Xi Communications said:

“It’s so easy to get lulled into doing everything online.

“As a small business, it can give you a huge advantage if you actually take the time to see your customer, or phone them, to build that relationship.”

Networking event (Image: Harrogate Business Group)

‘One-to-one brings you so much more’

Rachel O’Rourke, HR consultant for Mint HR, highlighted that while she feels building relationships in person takes time, she certainly reaps the rewards.

She added:

“The virtual world has enabled people to expect things quickly. People want instant access and instant information.”

Tom Lawrence, owner of TLC Properties, commented:

“One-to-one brings you so much more. Not just about what it can do for your business, but what it can do within your business; advice, friendship, company. We are all social people.”

A diverse background

The group has a wide range of business backgrounds, from HR and marketing, to consultancy and accountancy. The variety allows members to learn from each other about every aspect of business, while also creating meaningful relationships.

Chris White, owner of Green Ink explained:

“It’s a learning curve for everybody. If I have a problem, I can speak to them about it because they have had the same issue.”

Future events

Alongside its breakfast events, the Harrogate Business Group also offers speed business clinics, where entrepreneurs and members of the public can meet a business professional from the group and receive advice, guidance or simply make new connections.

The next clinic is being held on Friday, June 7.

It is also holding a pitch your business idea event on July 5 for those looking to broaden their business opportunities. Tickets are available on a discretional donation policy, with all proceeds going to charity.

Building relationships (Image: Harrogate Business Group)

The ripple effect: What are the benefits?

According to the group who attended the Breakfast Networking Events on Friday, May 10, the increase in local businesses being created across Harrogate – especially by the younger generation – is evident.

Micheal Grant, chairman of the group and owner of Minford Chartered Accountants commented:

“There are a lot of younger entrepreneurs that are coming through which is fantastic.”

His advice to young business owners would be that networks like the Harrogate Business Group are a great way to ‘get out and meet people, and push outside your comfort zone.’

Tom added:

“[The group is] a bit like dropping a pebble in a pond. The ripples go out and you don’t know where they are going to go.”

Everyone commended the group’s efforts at creating such a friendly atmosphere, concluding that being part of it provides camaraderie, emotional support, and a sense of personal and professional fulfilment – a precious commodity in today’s increasingly virtual and isolated society.

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