Ivy & Co is a Scottish brand creating a unique range of luxurious, aromatherapy candles and home fragrance.
Their aim is to bring beautiful scents to your home which evoke a sense of well-being and self-care. Based just outside Edinburgh, their candles and wax melts are expertly hand-poured with a high-quality blend of rapeseed and coconut plant-based wax – a sustainable, clean-burning natural wax.
Relaxing and unwinding with aromatherapy candles for a healthy, balanced life.
Ivy & Co’s wellbeing range of aromatherapy candles and wax melts are made with 100% pure essential oils. The Lavender and Chamomile essential oil candle is a particular favourite with its calming scent of chamomile and relaxing lavender. Both proven to aid sleep quality and reduce anxiety. Mandarin & Cedarwood is a beautifully fresh and restorative scent and it has been compared to being transported to a spa. They use mandarin essential oil as research has shown it to help alleviate stress and boost mood while cedarwood essential oil can have grounding and soothing properties. Helping you to completely unwind. All the essential oil candles are expertly hand-poured into classic white gloss jars, which can be washed out and reused as a handy little vase!
Luxury, aromatherapy wax melts
Luxury, aromatherapy wax melts £8
Using both candles and wax melts together is an ideal way to enjoy hours of aromatherapy and well-being benefits around your home. Essential oil wax melts are made with plant-based rapeseed and coconut wax and they are presented in fully biodegradable glassine bags. Each pack of 6 will provide up to 40 hours of beautifully, uplifting scent.
Natural handwash with soothing essential oils
Mandarin & Cedarwood Natural Handwash £12
Life is tough on our hands, treat them to our invigorating natural handwash to keep them beautifully moisturised. An essential in any kitchen or bathroom and made with entirely natural ingredients. The Mandarin & Cedarwood handwash is free from SLS and parabens and is suitable for all skin types.
Written by David Shirra of The Healthcare Collection
David Shirra
Businesses which carry out corporate social responsibilities aim to improve their communities, the economy and the environment. The UK’s newest healthcare sector start-up has committed to making a positive impact from the very beginning, writes David Shirra, Managing Partner at The Healthcare Collection.
The company employs 23 people, some in our Shared Service Centre in Glasgow and some working from home in locations across the UK. As seasoned business professionals, we fully understand the innumerable positives associated with committing to corporate social responsibility and believe thatevery organisation stands to benefit from them.
How much of an impact will Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) have on the day-to-day operations of your business? Should you invest in Corporate Social Responsibility?
The statistics around CSR support our beliefs:
91% of the global population wants to see businesses do more than just make a profit
85% of consumers have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a
cause they care about
90% of employees who work at companies with a strong sense of purpose say they’re more
inspired, motivated, and loyal
Engaging in socially valuable projects can reduce employee turnover by approximately 50%
68% of online consumers in the UK and US would or might stop using a brand because of
poor or misleading CSR
84% say a poor environmental track record would or might cause them to stop buying from
a brand
70% of purpose driven shoppers pay an added premium of 35% for sustainable purchases,
such as recycled or eco-friendly
With a strong purpose, consumers are 4 times more likely to purchase from a brand, 4.1 times more likely to trust it, and 4.5 times more likely to champion the brand and recommend it to friends and family.
Values count towards success In the months before the company launched, one of the first things we did was to put in place our five company values. The first is the most precious to us – Kindness – and that was followed by People First. People are at the centre of what we do, and our impact on them is our top priority. Being kind doesn’t stop at people (our patients, our clients and our teams) – it’s about doing the right thing for the planet and the communities we operate in, too. What you give out, you get back, and compassion and kindness are enabling our teams to thrive.
We have a fund for professional development to enhance our employees’ knowledge, skills, health or wellbeing, and everyone shares in our success through a profit-sharing model that we believe is unique in the healthcare sector. Our people are empowered to deliver excellence and, as we progress on our CSR journey, we’re seeing how our approach can impact their behaviours.
Increased teamwork In 2023, our chosen charity is My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, and we’ve pledged to donate a minimum of £10,000 over the next 12 months. ‘Doddie’ Weir OBE was a Rugby Union player who made 61 appearances for the Scotland team. He was diagnosed with the incurable condition, motor neuron disease, in 2016. This focus on giving back to our chosen charity means there will be opportunities for fundraising on a number of levels – and that will lead to increased colleague engagement, the chance to get the endorphins flowing, and the opportunity to thrive creatively while delivering on our financial pledge to our charitable partner.
Public trust By supporting community initiatives with ongoing funding and producing public proof of your egalitarian organisational principles, you can keep the trust you earned by building yourself as a socially responsible brand. Trust is intrinsically important in business, particularly in the healthcare sector.
Employee retention rates Our people are our greatest asset, and we know that today’s employees find fulfilment in working for a socially responsible company, so CSR efforts will make them less likely to leave a business. If we’d chosen to ignore CSR concerns, that could have had a negative and potentially damaging effect on our ability to attract and retain top talent. We know that having a positive culture internally is key to our success.
Increased brand recognition Being a socially conscious business can bring The Healthcare Collection to the attention of people who may have otherwise never heard of us. It follows that, if you associate your brand with positive social, environmental and political change, media coverage can result and you can earn a place in the hearts and minds of conscious consumers.
Boosted company reputation Recognition isn’t worth much if your reputation isn’t positive. By lending your support, choosing sustainable business policies wherever possible and engaging in sustainable business practices, your company’s reputation internally and externally is worthy of growing recognition amongst consumers, suppliers and employees.
Accelerated growth If you’re boosting your brand, enhancing your reputation, gaining public trust and inspiring customer loyalty, it may positively impact your bottom line. Maintaining a reputation as a giving, grateful and socially conscious organisation isn’t an approach every business takes, of course. When you adopt a CSR strategy, you set your business apart from more seemingly traditional concerns that are ‘all about the money.’ Through earning more trust, you can position yourself as the preferred option in any saturated market.
It’s the right thing to do CSR is already playing a crucial role in our company. We believe in being fair, ethical and giving back to society for one simple reason: it’s the right thing to do.
The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) has celebrated its first anniversary in its award-winning Richard Desmond’s Life Without Limits Centre (LWLC) for children, young people and their families in the heart of London.
Young children and their families, donors, staff, trustees and volunteers and guests including actor, entertainer and RSBC Ambassador, Jon Culshaw took part in the celebrations. The children and young people enjoyed a whole host of activities including birthday cupcake making; arts and crafts; gaming; trying out new technology; soft play; and playing musical instruments..
Carla Rose-Hardman, RSBC’s Services Director said: “It was fantastic that so many children, young people and their whole families were able to celebrate with us and enjoy taking part in all the fun activities on offer. The gaming session, led by Alex, our Senior Accessibility Advisor, was particularly popular, and it was lovely to see the little ones on the soft play and in the ball pool and taking part in sensory play. Seeing so many families together at the Centre we have built for them ended our first year on a real high!”
Families and children said:
“It’s a nice place to interact with people, chill and make friends!”
“A great place to come, feel safe and not judged”
“A safe place for VI people to come, be independent and socialise”
“The LWLC means so much to me. I’ve been with the RSBC since I was 8 and the Centre has changed RSBC, especially Owain’s music sessions and Vivek’s cookalongs”
“Amazing stuff”
In the LWLC, the Royal Society for Blind Children has created a welcoming and friendly space for blind and partially sighted children and their families to enjoy. Over the last year they have been taking part in cooking and life skills classes in the bright and accessible kitchen space; creating their own podcasts and getting creative in the media and creatives suites; learning and upskilling in assistive tech and employment skills in the learning hub; and being able to have personal conversations in the cosy family rooms. The double height, flexible atrium area has provided space for events including clay and animal workshops, and musical performances.
Sue Sharp, CEO, RSBC
Sue Sharp, CEO of the RSBC said: “In the LWLC we are able to support children, young people and families across England and Wales through a range of services delivered in person and via the tech links that we have set up in the Centre.
“There are many more who would benefit from our support and we rely on the support of generous donors to ensure that we are able to extend our reach to them, as well as maintaining our existing activities. Together with our supporters we can help make a real different to the lives of children, young people and families affected by sight loss.”
Becca, mum to Lennie summed up the day and the RSBC’s impact: “It felt so special to celebrate the 1st birthday of the LWLC. Our son is only two and we have already found the Centre to be a huge resource. It’s great to meet other families and children and see all the different activities available”.
She added: “We had so many worries when Lennie was first diagnosed about what he might not be able to do, but being at the Centre it feels that anything is possible. Lennie loved decorating cupcakes, playing the soft play, joining in with the arts and crafts and trying his hand at various musical instruments. Seeing the other young people play piano to such a high standard was inspiring! We always leave the Centre feeling excited about what’s to come next.”
To find out more about how you can support the work of the Royal Society for Blind Children please visit https://www.rsbc.org.uk/
The cost to the NHS of obesity-related illnesses each year is £6bn. With more than 1 in 4 of the UK population currently living with obesity, the National Health Service is straining under the pressure. Leading UK weight loss surgery provider Klinikal has confirmed that enquiries for weight loss surgery in 2023 are rocketing. On Klinikal.co.uk, this bariatric procedure is also ranking at number 1.
What is gastric sleeve surgery, otherwise known as a sleeve gastrectomy?
According to the UK National Bariatric Surgery Registry, a patient can lose on average up to 62%-63% of their excess body weight following this procedure. Having consistently grown in popularity in recent years, the gastric sleeve is now the most-performed weight loss surgery worldwide. Almost half a million people are enjoying the benefits of this procedure.
Christine Mozzamdar
Christine Mozzamdar, clinical services director at Klinikal, explained: “Gastric sleeve surgery – also called a sleeve gastrectomy – is relatively straightforward when compared to other weight-loss procedures. It’s a highly effective surgical procedure which takes approximately 2 hours to complete.
During the operation, part of the stomach is separated and then removed from the body. The remaining part of the stomach is formed into a sleeve-shaped tube, reducing the amount of food that can be eaten in one sitting. Less of the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin is also produced, which may lessen the desire to eat.”
This revolutionary weight loss procedure can bring a range of benefits to patients, including improving their health and mental well-being, increasing confidence, reducing pain from obesity, and providing the freedom to enjoy an active, full life.
Celebrities including Mariah Carey, Kelly Osbourne and Rosie O’Donnell have all undergone gastric sleeve procedures, reporting great weight loss success and life changing results afterwards.
Christine continued: “It’s important to acknowledge that gastric sleeve surgery isn’t a quick fix for losing weight. Although it can bring positive benefits, patients must commit to making dietary adaptations if they’re to feel the benefits of this procedure.
“My team have so much confidence in our expert surgeons and the weight loss outcomes that can be achieved that a number of colleagues across the UK have undergone a weight loss procedure themselves. This means that they’re ideally placed to support their patients on their own journeys.
“During my long tenure as a Clinical Services Director in both public and private healthcare, I’ve seen thousands of patients achieve excellent outcomes after gastric sleeve surgery,” Christine added. “It really is amazing to see how positively their lives have changed because of the procedure – so much so, that many have gone on to recommend it to their family and friends.”
This is Milk seeks £1m of investment for its ‘neurodiverse first’ online learning platform, Neve which will meet the needs of people with learning challenges such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Based in Glasgow and with a network of global clients, the agency, founded eight years ago by the award-winning entrepreneur Angela Prentner-Smith, has gained a gold-standard reputation for its human-centred approach to its training and consultancy services.
Neve Learning is a cloud-based Ed-Tech platform developed by This is Milk, designed to help training providers and organisations manage and deliver learning in a more inclusive way, that includes neurodiversity, and is aligned with a future-focused education framework.
Being neurodivergent means having a brain that works differently from the average or “neurotypical” person. There may be differences in social preferences, ways of learning or ways of communicating.
This is the motivating factor for an accessibility-first approach and the platform has been designed from the ground up to be inclusive and to consider the needs of all users.
Investors will receive a share in This is Milk, which has doubled its annual turnover for each of the last three years. This unique opportunity to share in the company’s success and to back a project with a purpose will help maintain its reputation for changing the dynamics of the modern British workplace.
Angela Prentner-Smith
Founder and MD Angela Prentner-Smith said: “In today’s e-learning market, learners and educators encounter drawbacks with many products.
“These range from limited face-to-face communication during training sessions and learning activities that can feel socially disconnected or lonely for some students. This can lead to less focus on skills practice and an over-reliance on theory.
“People with disabilities or those like me who are neurodiverse can encounter an added stumbling block in having only limited access to courses and materials.
“With Neve, we will strive to resolve these challenges and others by providing ways to improve where, when, what, and how people learn.”
Neve has constructed a suite of features designed to make it easy for trainers to deliver content in ways that make teaching and learning more successful for everyone. It provides Learning Pathways which allow learners to interact with course content organised into digestible chunks. These act as a ‘roadmap’, guiding learners on how they progress.
Prentner-Smith said: “Neve will also help professional learners gain an education that goes beyond just knowledge sharing. With Neve they will acquire the means to demonstrate explicitly how to apply what they learn in specific contexts.
“Neve will become the ideal alternative to traditional training and learning. The effectiveness of these ‘tried and trusted’ methods has simply been outstripped by the pace of a changing global economy and the technology landscape. Our methods and ideas will help workplaces adapt to this fast-changing environment by making them nimbler and more flexible.
“It’s not magic, and it’s possible to build an educational journey that works well for everyone. With Neve, we’re just getting started.
“Not only are we building the learning platform for the future, but we’re also doing so by shaping it around the nuances of our shared humanity. Inclusion and diversity will be embedded at the heart of our core values and these will be enhanced by the wonder of cutting-edge technology and neuroscience.”
As trends change or rotate every year, the Classic Leather Jacket outfit only gets better with time. The history of leather jackets goes back to the early 1900s during the First World War when German soldiers wore the bomber version (an aviator jacket) as an outwear layer of their military uniform. It slowly rose its popularity to street style when Harley Davidson showcased their first leather jacket, a shortened version of the aviator jacket. Soon many legends like Steve McQueen, The Beatless, The Ramones, and Tom Cruise (in Top Gun) made it popular and timeless.
Though it started as a Men’s biker jacket, women began to wear them on a wide scale thanks to rock and roll. Ever since, this all-weather jacket had no looking back. It became a versatile closet staple that can be easily dressed up or down.
The Classic Leather Jacket Outfit
Today’s outfit is a classic combination of wearing a leather jacket and skinny jeans. Honestly, it’s one of those borrowed-from-boys looks with the white shirt and blue denim. I added (of course!) a feminine vibe to it with red heels and crystal drops. This scarf from Topshop is absolutely gorgeous; it’s super soft and has a cashmere feel. The best part is it doesn’t shed and spoil your outfit with lint. I always look for such scarves as I own a lot of wool coats.
Variations
There are many ways you can wear the same look by switching accessories. Here are few
For an elevated casual look, semi-tuck the shirt into boyfriend jeans, pair it with a slip on’s, and switch the earrings with studs. Check the similar look here.
Layer a grey/brown sweater over the shirt for a warmer look, and replace heels with booties. Keep the rest of the outfit the same.
