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After a biblical amount of consecutive days of rain (it was 41 so we even outdid Noah’s effort), I’ve quite enjoyed a couple of sunny days this week.   And the temperature even reached double digits – it’s all a bit much!   To add to the excitement, the sun sets at 6pm on 9 th  March here in Solihull, and it won’t set before 6pm again until late October.   As someone who loves spending time outdoors, it really does feel like a line in the sand where we can finally start to re

It’s Pancake Day! For me, pancakes are a must-do on Pancake Day, the only real debate is whether to go sweet or savoury, crepes or thick American pancakes. The answer? Well, a little bit of everything – savoury for main, sweet for pudding, so pass me the Nutella and Strawberries and let’s tuck in.  Of course, it does mark the day before Lent begins, which means we’re on the 40-day countdown to Easter, at which point life might feel decidedly brighter, sunnier, and warmer than

We’ve finally made it into February, and the outlook is a little bit  more positive, even if every day adopts the same grey skies as the previous one.   What it does mean, though, is that we’re already a month into 2026, with plenty to come.   I know there’s lots of exhibitions, conferences and events coming up, so it’s bound to be a busy time for a million and one different reasons.   Which brings me onto a quick question:   Do you have an upcoming event that you could benef

It’s one of the busiest days of the year on Monday – football’s Transfer Deadline Day.   There’s no clearer example of our love as a society of deadlines and their effectiveness in getting people to take action as it looms.   We all respond to them, especially when it’s something you’re keen on but maybe you have some obstacles in your own mind preventing you from pulling the trigger.   It’s why sales campaigns work so much more effectively when they utilise deadlines, and th

My favourite topic of conversation at this time of year is Christmas films.   I think it’s a fascinating insight into what people love and the big winner, above all, is nostalgia.   For the record, the best Christmas film going is… A Muppet’s Christmas Carol.   Closely followed by Home Alone.   But it’s always up for debate and that’s the power of video, right? Year after year, we sit down and enjoy timeless classics, from Elf to It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34 th Stree

If there’s one conversation I’ve had more than any this week, it’s the fact that nobody can quite believe that we’re in December. In fact, we’re a few windows down on the advent calendar and Christmas is approaching faster than Santa can fly his sleigh. So, if you’re like me and you’ve not even given your Christmas shopping a thought, it might be an idea to get cracking! That being said, as we all know in December, thoughts tend to turn to Christmas and New Year pretty sharpi

We’ve all probably had similar conversations in the last couple of weeks… ‘Bit hot, isn’t it?’ is my opener – because, well, it is. It...

The French Open finished the other day, with Carlos Alcaraz being crowned the Men’s Singles champion in an epic final. Despite his...

Whenever my sister comes to visit, I become Uncle Ben again and switch seamlessly into what I hope is the cool  Uncle role.  Although the...

The correlation between the beginning of March (and meteorological Spring) and the sun suddenly making an appearance hasn’t gone...

The saying goes that content is King, but marketing is Queen, and she wears the trousers. Now, aside from that being a great quip, there...

This time of year brings a few different things – a little bit more daylight, Valentine’s Day on the horizon, and endless awards...

It was ‘Blue Monday’ this week, the supposed ‘most depressing’ day of the year. Of course, the reality is that January can feel like a...

The first full week back after Christmas and New Year always follows the same pattern. I find the best thing to do is to get stuck in and...

There’s a reason A Christmas Carol is still the most popular Christmas story that  isn’t  the birth of Jesus.  A 181-year-old story has...

Utter the words ‘the best Christmas film is…’ anywhere over the next week or two and you best be prepared for a healthy debate. Maybe...

I’ve reached an age where I’ve started to say things my parents used to say to me – unconsciously.   The immortal words ‘it’s like...