There’s lot of stuff on the internet warning against using screens before bed, or looking at your phone before you go to sleep. I thought this was because of the sleep-interfering blue light, or even incase you drop your device on your face as you doze off. Nowhere have I seen a warning that you may somehow, in a hazy 1am daze, book tickets for a band that you think you want to see, only to wake up in the morning and be bewildered by your purchase. Anyway, I surprised Adam (and myself) with tickets to see Korn at Gunnersbury Park.
We went to Antwerp, stayed in the coolest B&B, wandered through the Art Nouveau neighbourhood, had our car towed, ate amazing pastries.
We went to Dessel, for Graspop Festival, saw Allen Weaponry, Crosses, and Tool.
I fed a seagull crisps from the window of the car as we waited to board the Shuttle. Running alongside me, his little legs in coral pink tights.
I spent a day amongst the flowers at Mr Forthergill’s seed trial grounds.
I stayed at Doddington Hall and joined friends (and their family) for the launch of their wonderful Sculpture at Doddington exhibiiton. Watched house martins circle in the bluest of blue skies.
I took Ros to Kettles Yard, appreciated the light and space again, enjoyed the Megan Rooney exhibition and the chocolate brownie in the cafe.
I visited a Cold War bunker in York, a Cold War museum at Bentwaters, and had lunch with Pepita at the Old War Office which was much fancier than a bunker and less war-y.
A swarm of bees came to visit, hung out in a tree for a couple of days. A beekeeper came to rehome them, put them in a cardboard box so they could travel. It was wonderful to see and hear them, and feel the heat of the box – they warm everything to 35°C apparently!
I spent a day in the hot sun at the Knepp Estate with Emma and the Merlin Bird ID app.
At home I’ve been spending time on the Flight Radar 24 app.
I’ve enjoyed multiple pastry excursions,
made chocolate cakes, and meringues,
bought pond plants,
been on a boat,
rescued a pigeon,
got an MBE!
It’s been a bit of a strangely awardsy time. First there was the Points of Light award from the government, then Toiletries Amnesty was recognised in the Natwest SE100 as one of the top 100 social enterprises in the UK, then I got an MBE (!), and now I’ve been shortlisted for Barclays ‘Serial Entrepreneur Award’!
I’ve always felt that good businesses should be measured by positive impact, not for how much money they squeeze out of society, but how much they put in, the knock-on effect, empowerment and equity they create for other. Fingers crossed for change.
Country & Town House magazine interviewed me on receiving the MBE, calling Toiletries Amnesty one of the beauty industry’s biggest game changers, which makes me very happy! I’d love you to read the interview, it’s candid and transparent, and I am really pleased with it!
Despite all the goings-on, we’ve been extra busy at Toiletries Amnesty (don’t I always say that?), and aside from our daily support of 850+ locations, we’ve just delivered £400,000 worth of disaster relief to the Caribbean Peoples Foundation. That’s big, especially for our tiny team.
Over at Shutter Hub we’ve been collaborating with the Sainsbury Centre on an exhibition, and hosted a meet up and curators tour with them. The YEARBOOK Awards showcase is now live, with the work of over 250 photographers for you to discover. The call for entries for the Shutter Hub OPEN 2025 is open to photographers right now (go for it, it’s always a great show), I’ve been working on the FOOD STORIES book that will come out later this year, and we’ll be launching our year long exhibition, (RETURN) TO THE SEA, on Worthing seafront in October.
Thanks to our partners Adrian Flux Insurance, the AUTO PHOTO Top 100 images were showcased on the screens at Silverstone Festival, looking super cool and reaching over 100,000 people! I spent the day at Goodwood Festival of Speed with some of our community, and hosted the AUTO PHOTO exhibition launch at GNC in Derby where we were treated to a private tour of the venue.
At some point I had planned to catch up with sleep and rest this summer. I like the idea of a hammock under a tree with a warm breeze, but right now I’d be happy with a cushion under a table!
If you’d like to keep up with what I’m up to work-wise (talks, events, exhibitions, that kind of stuff), you can find my Agenda on my website, for occasional updates in your inbox, join my Mailing List, and for daily bits and bobs, follow me on Instagram.