Saturday, 21 July 2012
Many thanks to Alison Hall of Plymouth Enterprising Women for allowing me to present at the PEW event yesterday as part of Outsets Business Collaboration day. The presentation entitled Women Speaking Up was encouraging women to share their voice, especially in places where it will make a difference eg decision making both in the private and public sphere. I touched on ideas that would be called feminist and this was welcome from most women in the group - although one women found this a turn off and uped and left! I'm really sorry she didn't feel able to stay and raise her concerns within our discussion. Ultimately I was echoing the sentiments of the Miss Representation Film trailer directed by Jennifer Sibel Newsom encouraing women to look out for and support each other; that's my brand of feminism and so far has won me some very good friends. How has feminism become so misunderstood that women react so strongly? Are the ideas still just too challenging for comfort?
Thursday, 24 May 2012
The sun's out - let's eat better!
The suns out - let's eat better!
I had the opportunity to deliver a presentation at a business networking event yesterday around the topic of healthy eating and self care which was brilliant for helping me focus on my own eating habits!
Is it just me or does this gorgeous weather make you feel healthier without even doing anything? Well I want to capitalise on that and maybe you will too. Some people say they don't feel so hungry when the weathers hot and I used to think really? I just want to eat all the time what ever the weather! I don't feel like that now and I think that's because I've changed what I eat and always try to include a whole grain in my meals (even breakfast!) so I no longer feel hungry all the time. Also having lots of vegetables with every meal, especially green ones and a small amount of protein I know is really good for me too.
What I need to concentrate on now is staying away from the sugary 'treats' which although taste wonderful at the time are very 'moreish' as my mum used to say. We know that sugar is indeed addictive and I do find that once I start eating sweet things I just want to eat more. These empty calories not only add fat, they also play havoc with our energy levels, giving us false spikes and making it very difficult for our blood sugar to stablise naturally. It's the cake and biscuits that do it for me! So all I can do is not buy them. I've told my daughter that if she wants biscuits (she has a sweet tooth too) she has to make them and they must be the healthist recipe we can find. She hasn't stepped up to make any yet! I've also found that making sure I eat a good meal three times a day means I don't need to snack inbetween. I know that takes a lot of planning but that's where the weekly menu planning comes in. I'm planning to share menu ideas on Twitter from the middle of June and any ideas you'd like to share please comment below. In the mean time the sun's out - let's eat better.
Janet Wise
I had the opportunity to deliver a presentation at a business networking event yesterday around the topic of healthy eating and self care which was brilliant for helping me focus on my own eating habits!
Is it just me or does this gorgeous weather make you feel healthier without even doing anything? Well I want to capitalise on that and maybe you will too. Some people say they don't feel so hungry when the weathers hot and I used to think really? I just want to eat all the time what ever the weather! I don't feel like that now and I think that's because I've changed what I eat and always try to include a whole grain in my meals (even breakfast!) so I no longer feel hungry all the time. Also having lots of vegetables with every meal, especially green ones and a small amount of protein I know is really good for me too.
What I need to concentrate on now is staying away from the sugary 'treats' which although taste wonderful at the time are very 'moreish' as my mum used to say. We know that sugar is indeed addictive and I do find that once I start eating sweet things I just want to eat more. These empty calories not only add fat, they also play havoc with our energy levels, giving us false spikes and making it very difficult for our blood sugar to stablise naturally. It's the cake and biscuits that do it for me! So all I can do is not buy them. I've told my daughter that if she wants biscuits (she has a sweet tooth too) she has to make them and they must be the healthist recipe we can find. She hasn't stepped up to make any yet! I've also found that making sure I eat a good meal three times a day means I don't need to snack inbetween. I know that takes a lot of planning but that's where the weekly menu planning comes in. I'm planning to share menu ideas on Twitter from the middle of June and any ideas you'd like to share please comment below. In the mean time the sun's out - let's eat better.
Janet Wise
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Herald Business Awards
News
Herald Business Awards
15 April 2012
Alas it wasn't to be our night on Thursday 12th April at the Herald Business Awards but we did have a great night sharing a little of the lime light with the great and good of the Plymouth Business community.
The Award in our Spirit of Enterprise category went to Lee Duke of Chasing Paper who was a deserved winner, having grown a very interesting and worthwhile waste recycling business helping integrate disadvantaged young people into the work place. Well done Lee! He was really chuffed to get the award as were all the winners.
We learned alot about the business community in Plymouth and saw many years of hard work pay off for the winner of business of year txtnation. It was inspiring to see family businesses beavering away over many years to create and maintain sustainable companies. It was also good to be part of an evening honouring and celebrating the work of Peter Vosper who won the Life Time Achievement Award.
We enjoyed great food provided by Riverford Organics which included a selection of vegetables which are not always appreciated and can be hard to find in some English restaurants - our interest in all things health related makes it appropriate that we were able to enjoy some greens!
Thanks to Outset Plymouth who sponsored the Spirit of Enterprise Award and made us feel very welcome.
and to Kevin Kelway who helped capture the evening for us with these great pictures.Wednesday, 11 April 2012
The Herald Business Awards
Only one more day before the Herald Business Awards tomorrow at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Plymouth. We have been shortlisted in the Spirit of Enterprise category and look forward to hearing about other local businesses and enjoying the food provided by Riverford Organics.
Many thanks to all our customers, business trainers and friends over the last few years who have helped us grow and develop into an enterprising business!
Fingers crossed for our success tomorrow.
Best wishes
Janet
Many thanks to all our customers, business trainers and friends over the last few years who have helped us grow and develop into an enterprising business!
Fingers crossed for our success tomorrow.
Best wishes
Friday, 6 April 2012
Plymouth Sound By Boat
Yesterday we were lucky enough to join a group of differently able children and their carers on a boat trip with Horizons Sailing club. While the weather can only be described as 'bracing' it was wonderful to be out on the water to see Plymouth from a whole different viewpoint. From Richmond Walk first we headed out to the Breakwater passing the lethal looking 'Dragons Teeth' and the rather lonesome Drakes Island. Then we headed up river and passed the rolling hills of Tamerton Foliet on one side and beautiful Mount Edgecumbe on the other. We stopped for lunch in Saltash right under the Brunel Bridge and were very grateful to the community centre there who warmed us up with steaming mugs of hot chocolate and coffee and kindly allowed us to use their facillities to eat our packed lunches. Lunch outside in the driving wind would have been much less pleasant!
I was full of admiration for the Captain who jollied us expertly through the adventure with varying winds and waves but felt even greater admiration for the carers on board who worked so hard coaxing their loved ones through the cold weather and meeting all their needs in such difficult conditions - it looked physically exhausting but for them just another very demanding day. You are all inspirational!
During the night I woke up and was briefly unable to sleep still processing the sights and scenes of the day. Then I was reminded that the Government's cuts to Working Tax Credit are due to hit this week and I felt extreme anger as I realised that these are probably the very people who the tax cut will hit. No doubt mostly women like those on the boat who were hard pushed to work 16 hours outside of their caring responsibilites but couldn't possibly manage any more. As a result of these cuts their income is set to drop substantially because they are not considered to be working enough. All I can see is an extremely unfair and narrow definition of work - I've yet to see anyone who works harder than those caring for the disabled.
I'm sure I'm not the only one to be made sleepless by this government.
Happy Easter!
I was full of admiration for the Captain who jollied us expertly through the adventure with varying winds and waves but felt even greater admiration for the carers on board who worked so hard coaxing their loved ones through the cold weather and meeting all their needs in such difficult conditions - it looked physically exhausting but for them just another very demanding day. You are all inspirational!
During the night I woke up and was briefly unable to sleep still processing the sights and scenes of the day. Then I was reminded that the Government's cuts to Working Tax Credit are due to hit this week and I felt extreme anger as I realised that these are probably the very people who the tax cut will hit. No doubt mostly women like those on the boat who were hard pushed to work 16 hours outside of their caring responsibilites but couldn't possibly manage any more. As a result of these cuts their income is set to drop substantially because they are not considered to be working enough. All I can see is an extremely unfair and narrow definition of work - I've yet to see anyone who works harder than those caring for the disabled.
I'm sure I'm not the only one to be made sleepless by this government.
Happy Easter!
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Happy Mother's Day
Hope all you mum's out there are getting the attention and pampering you deserve! I've had a great day thanks to my husband and kids who have rallied round and made me feel special.
After a sumptious brunch - plenty of time to lie in and ease my way into the day we then headed off to the coast with a picnic and sunshades. Sat looking out to see towards Plymouth Sound basking in the sunshine and still disbelieving the blueness of the sea. Back home in time for a spot of relaxation in the garden; OK by then I did have to take out my hot water bottle and blanket but listening to Swami's Yoga Nidra through my head phones just loud enough to phase out the garden bird song - lovely!
We've just finished supper which was of course rounded off with the lovely chocolates presented to me earlier. Now I do have a few chores to do like ironing the school uniform and supervising baths but it all seems easy today, there seems to have been more space and even the normal little ups and downs of the day have stayed little.
Hope you've all enjoyed your day and for those of you like the woman we met on the cliff top today not having such a great time, having lost her mum last week - remember to nuture yourself, we know how to look after others and we also have in us to look after ourselves.
Best wishes Janet
After a sumptious brunch - plenty of time to lie in and ease my way into the day we then headed off to the coast with a picnic and sunshades. Sat looking out to see towards Plymouth Sound basking in the sunshine and still disbelieving the blueness of the sea. Back home in time for a spot of relaxation in the garden; OK by then I did have to take out my hot water bottle and blanket but listening to Swami's Yoga Nidra through my head phones just loud enough to phase out the garden bird song - lovely!
We've just finished supper which was of course rounded off with the lovely chocolates presented to me earlier. Now I do have a few chores to do like ironing the school uniform and supervising baths but it all seems easy today, there seems to have been more space and even the normal little ups and downs of the day have stayed little.
Hope you've all enjoyed your day and for those of you like the woman we met on the cliff top today not having such a great time, having lost her mum last week - remember to nuture yourself, we know how to look after others and we also have in us to look after ourselves.
Best wishes Janet
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Happy International Women's Day
Happy International Women's Day
I'm off to Plymouth City Centre to take part in the celebrations at the Guildhall part of which will be seeing our daughter receive her creative writing prize from the Soropomists. We're so proud of her for flying the International Women's Day flag at only 10!
Hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating another year nearer to equality.
A special thanks goes to all the men out there who are helping us along with their positive support and confidence that everyone wins in a equal world!
I'm off to Plymouth City Centre to take part in the celebrations at the Guildhall part of which will be seeing our daughter receive her creative writing prize from the Soropomists. We're so proud of her for flying the International Women's Day flag at only 10!
Hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating another year nearer to equality.
A special thanks goes to all the men out there who are helping us along with their positive support and confidence that everyone wins in a equal world!
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