Interest in tech careers among prospective business school students has fallen from 39% in 2023 to 35% in 2024, according to a new report by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) – a 10% year-on-year decline. These findings come from the latest Prospective Students Survey by GMAC – a report that identifies and measures the needs and preferences of aspiring students in management and business education. Now in its 15th year, the report analyses data from 4,912 respondents across 147 countries, offering insights into evolving candidate decision-making to guide business school strategies. Technology remains the third most attractive sector for future business school students. Consulting continues to lead as the most popular sector, with exactly half of all respondents considering it for a future career. The remainder of the top five sectors include financial services (41%) in second place, investment banking and management (34%) in fourth, and consumer products (20%) in fifth. Notably, there were significant gender and generational disparities in interest in tech careers. Among Millennial men, 45% were interested in a tech career, compared to 38% of Gen Z men. Meanwhile, only 34% of Millennial women and 29% of Gen Z women expressed interest in the technology sector. “The recent dip in interest toward tech careers among prospective business students may reflect growing uncertainty in the sector,” says Nalisha Patel, Regional Director for the Americas and Europe at GMAC. “With high-profile layoffs and the rapid evolution of AI disrupting traditional roles, many students are understandably cautious. While technology remains a dynamic and innovative field, the perceived instability is prompting future graduates to weigh their options more carefully as they seek long-term career security." The research also identified key skill sets employers are seeking in business school graduates, with a growing emphasis on human-centric skills such as emotional intelligence and problem-solving, according to corporate recruiters. The Graduate Management Admission Council is an international non-profit organisation representing over 200 business schools worldwide. It provides research and market insights to academic institutions and prospective graduate management students.

Prolific try-scoring back Ellen Scantlebury has extended her contract with Loughborough Lightning. The powerful winger/centre scored an incredible 21 tries in six matches for Loughborough University in 2024/25, including seven in a single match against Edinburgh. Alongside her efforts in helping her fellow students reach two BUCS Super Rugby finals, the 21-year-old has made 16 appearances for Loughborough Lightning, making her debut as a teenager in April 2023 against Harlequins. The Somerset-born player featured 11 times during the 2023/24 Premiership Women’s Rugby season and scored her maiden senior level try against Gloucester-Hartpury, before claiming a brace against Trailfinders Women. Unfortunately, Scantlebury made only three appearances in the 2024/25 campaign after suffering a knee injury in the second round loss to Trailfinders – but made her return to action against the same opponents in the season-concluding reverse fixture at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens in February 2025. “I am really looking forward to the new season with Lightning,” said Scantlebury. “Last season was a really frustrating one from a Lightning perspective after picking up an injury in what was such a condensed schedule that meant I missed a lot of games." “But I was pleased to get back out there on the pitch in the last game and I really enjoyed making up for lost time in BUCS too. I want to hit the ground running with Lightning too heading into the PWR Cup and the PWR season and go out and perform at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.” Scantlebury’s return to form and fitness was further emphasised by captaining Loughborough to Celestial 7s glory in mid-June. Lightning Head Coach Nathan Smith said: “Scants has been ripping it up in an African Violet shirt in BUCS and 7s, so we’re excited to see if she can bring that form and confidence onto the pitch for us too." “It was a real shame that we lost her for a good chunk of the 2024/25 season as she would’ve had a great opportunity to play more rugby with other players in her position out injured too." “I’m looking forward to seeing her progress with the team this season and establishing herself as a PWR player on a regular basis.”

Data from Barclays Property Insights shows that rent and mortgage spending grew 4.3 per cent year-on-year in June, marking the fourth month that growth has slowed, as major lenders continue to lower mortgage rates. Spending on utilities increased just 1.2 per cent due to the recent heatwave, with further easing on the way thanks to last week’s price cap decrease. Key Findings: Consumer spending on rent and mortgages grew 4.3 per cent in June, slightly below the 4.6 per cent recorded in May Confidence in the UK housing market fell 3 points to 27 per cent as the Base Rate was held at 4.25 per cent Renters saving for a deposit hope to accrue over £30,000 in under five years, on average, although few are currently on track to meet their target Half of renters believe homeownership is unattainable without financial incentives and buyer support schemes, but awareness of available support is low Barclays’ Property Insights combines data from across the Bank with consumer research to provide in-depth analysis of UK housing trends Consumer confidence in the UK housing market fell 3 points to 27 per cent, as the Bank of England maintained the Base Rate at 4.25 per cent. Offsetting this, concerns around the barriers to home ownership are easing – four in 10 (39 per cent) consumers cited property prices as one of the major barriers in June (down 6 points from May) and 19 per cent cited monthly mortgage payments (down 3 points), as major lenders continue to lower mortgage rates. Government-backed ownership schemes face awareness challenges Half (53 per cent) of renters believe homeownership would be impossible without the help of financial incentives and homebuying support schemes. Despite this, awareness of the government-backed Shared Ownership initiative is relatively low. Three in 10 (31 per cent) consumers haven’t heard of the scheme, with the figure even higher among 18–34-year-olds (39 per cent). However, those familiar with the scheme see the benefits. A third (34 per cent) believe Shared Ownership offers a more affordable route to getting on the property ladder compared to a traditional mortgage, and one in five (19 per cent) believe that these types of initiatives offer a solution for first-time buyers struggling to get on the housing ladder. Ready, set, save A fifth (22 per cent) of renters are currently saving for a house deposit, with this group aiming to accrue just over £30,000 (£30,347.40) in 4.8 years, on average, from the time they started saving. To meet this target, over £500 per month (£526.86) would need to be saved, on average, not accounting for interest or inflation. However, renters are putting away less than half the monthly goal (£230.80 per month on average1), suggesting the target timeline could be over-optimistic for many without a change in financial circumstances. Later-life renters welcome flexibility Across all age groups, nearly half (49 per cent) of tenants believe it is more expensive to be a renter than a mortgage-payer, and renters are nearly three times more likely to say they struggle with their housing costs compared to homeowners (25 per cent vs 9 per cent). However, not all renters are looking to get onto the property ladder for the first time – a fifth (22 per cent) report having previously owned a home, including four in 10 (40 per cent) ‘later-life’ renters over the age of 55. This is perhaps because renters aged 55+ are more likely to say they prefer renting as it offers more flexibility for their current life stage (56 per cent vs national average of 40 per cent). Jatin Patel, Head of Mortgages, Savings and Insurance at Barclays, said: “Our latest insights reflect a housing market in transition. While lower mortgage rates are providing some relief, affordability remains a challenge." “Our findings underscore the importance of tailored solutions to address the diverse needs of today’s prospective homeowners. While half of renters view homeownership as unattainable without financial support schemes, there remains a significant gap in awareness of initiatives like Shared Ownership, particularly among younger adults." “Bridging this knowledge gap is crucial to empowering first-time buyers and fostering greater accessibility to the property market.” Will Hobbs, Managing Director, Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management, said: “Data on the economy are telling a particularly incoherent story at the moment. We maintain that the starting point for the UK’s economy is better than widely acknowledged. Household balance sheets are more robust in aggregate and the corporate sector is potentially well placed to benefit from the incoming industrial revolution in machine learning and generative AI." "The news of the world around us remains unsettling, but it is important to remember that the economy is capable of dancing to a quite different tune. Blind optimism ultimately outperforms sober pessimism when it comes to the economy over longer periods of time, primarily because the march of technological change.”

Sheffield Hallam University and Guildhawk’s two Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPS) have been selected as part of Innovate UK’s “50 Success Stories” celebrating 50 years of the KTP programme. This national recognition by Innovate UK honours the most impactful collaborations between UK businesses and academia. The first Guildhawk - Sheffield Hallam KTP led to the creation of GAI Translate, Guildhawk’s proprietary AI-powered multilingual translation platform. Professor Chris Roast, associate professor in human-computer interaction, and academic lead on the first KTP, said: “GAI Translate is a great example of how academic insight can drive commercial innovation with global impact.” The second KTP is currently developing a new method for data labelling, addressing one of the biggest challenges in AI today: creating high-quality datasets to train machine learning models. Professor Alex Shenfield, professor of machine learning who is leading the second KTP, said: “High-quality data is the foundation of trustworthy AI. Our work is helping to solve a critical bottleneck in the development of intelligent systems.” Funded jointly by the individual business or organisation and the government’s Innovate UK, KTPs involve a transfer of knowledge, technology and skills. They give companies access to the expertise and technical insight they need to innovate and offer universities the chance to apply their research to real world problems. Jurga Žilinskienė MBE, CEO of Guildhawk, said: “We’re thrilled to be recognised for our commitment to ethical innovation. These KTPs have helped us turn bold ideas into real-world technologies that are transforming global communication.” Sheffield Hallam University first worked on a KTP in 1985, and has since partnered with more than 150 companies on 210 projects. Being showcased for the 50th anniversary highlights the industry-leading outcomes of the Guildhawk-Sheffield Hallam collaboration and sets a benchmark for future industry-academic innovation.

A Hampshire accountancy and business advisory firm is celebrating its 40th anniversary with sights set on more growth. Chandler’s Ford-based HWB Chartered Accountants is marking four decades of supporting firms and individuals with their financial, tax and audit affairs. Founded in Southampton in 1985, HWB has grown from a team of six to a total staff roll of 78, with seven directors and three associate directors. The letters in the firm’s name denote the initials of the surnames of founders Mike Hopper, Alan Williams and Arthur Bell. They were previously colleagues at another Southampton accountancy practice and decided to go out on their own by forming the Hopper, Williams & Co Partnership, in July 1985. Their first office was a sublease of space at Southern Ship Stores, by Dock Gate 4 in the Port of Southampton. The early years also saw premises in Spring Crescent, Portswood, and in Romsey, ahead of a move in 2002 to Chandler’s Ford, the same office they operate from today. With Mike’s retirement in 2001, the partnership was converted to company status and in 2019, the original shareholders undertook a partial sale of the business to the global professional services network ETL. Although his name is not reflected in the HWB initials, the business was led by Managing Director Geoff Rhodes for 29 years, from 1993 until his retirement in 2022. Alan retired in 2024 while Arthur, though retired as a director too, remains on hand as a consultant, working with a small portfolio of clients. The 40th anniversary, featuring a summer party for staff and fundraising for the team’s charity of the year Dementia Support Hampshire & IOW, has been a chance to reflect on the past while also focusing on the future. The longest serving current team member is Business Adviser Chris Wignall, who has been in post for nearly 25 years. Chris said: “Times have certainly changed since January 2001 when I started my career at HWB. I remember going out on my first client audit visit with just a pen, analysis pad paper and a calculator – no laptops were in use at that point." “We have obviously embraced all the technological advances in the intervening years, and while the fundamentals of accounting may not have changed, the way we deliver the service to our clients has moved on beyond recognition." “When I started at the small, cramped office in Portswood, Mike, Alan and Arthur were the owners. They have all since moved on to well-earned retirement, but the fundamentals they instilled in me at the outset have stayed with me ever since." “Despite them not being with the business anymore, the principle that hard work, high standards and professionalism are rewarded by the firm has not changed.” One of the businesses that had input from HWB back in 1985 and remains a client to this day is family-owned hotel group Greenclose Hotels. Greenclose Director James Hiley-Jones said: “We have been clients of HWB since its inception. They have played an essential role in our growth and success as a hotel business." “As well as looking after our annual accounts and Companies House filings, and all related tax and financial compliance matters, they have been a strategic partner to the group." “In recent years, they advised us on the substantial expansion of our long-standing New Forest hotel Careys Manor and SenSpa, right up to assisting us with its recent sale." “They continue to support us with our remaining hotels, our country house hotel The Montagu Arms in Beaulieu and our seafront hotel in Llandudno, north Wales, The Imperial Hotel." “We have always found HWB very helpful and knowledgeable, a truly strong partner for our business.” HWB Managing Director Tracy Jenkins, who joined the firm in 2004, said: “Our 40th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate the dedication, professionalism and commitment of our team while recognising that our ethos and mission continue as ever, to deliver the highest standards of service to our client base, many of whom we have acted for, for years." “Our founders can relax in the knowledge that the firm they launched back in 1985 is in safe hands and ideally positioned for continued growth. We are excited for what the future holds.” Chartered Accountants HWB, based at Chandler’s Ford, near Southampton, provides business and tax advice.

This summer, popular Nestlé cereal brands including Shreddies, Cheerios and Nesquik are teaming up with DC Studios and Warner Bros to offer shoppers across the UK and Ireland the chance to win an incredible family holidays to the Six Flags Over Texas theme park in the USA. There are also 1000 cash prizes up for grabs to celebrate the launch of the epic new Superman film, in cinemas 11 July. To enter the draw, shoppers need to purchase a participating pack of Nestlé cereals, scan the QR code, enter their unique product code and upload their receipt. The main prize to Six Flags Over Texas includes a five-night stay in Texas, US, return flights, two-day park admission and £500 cash. In the first feature to debut from DC Studios, James Gunn, in his signature style, takes on the original Superhero in the newly imagined DC Universe with a singular blend of epic action, humour and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind. As well as the on-pack promotion, to support the campaign, Nestlé cereals has invested significant shopper activation across UK retailers. Shoppers will find eye-catching branded bays, digital till screens, pallet shippers and aisle end displays – to create in-store buzz and amplify the Superman excitement. Sarah Fordy, Head of Marketing for Nestlé Cereals, said: “It’s a pleasure to team up with DC Studios and Warners Bros. for our exciting Superman on pack promotion. Through the partnership, Shreddies, Cheerios, Nesquik and other brands will have increased visibility in-store while offering shoppers a chance to be part of something fun and exciting this summer, and of course, celebrate the new film that everyone is sure to be talking about this summer." "Superman is a family favourite, offering humour, heart and action which is a great fit for our cereal brands.” For more information, visit www.nestle-cereals.com/uk/superman .

Fifth-generation luxury British bedmaker, Harrison Spinks, has appointed Jimmy Caines as National Hospitality Account Manager, in a brand-new role created to support the company’s growth plans within the hospitality sector. The appointment coincides with the relaunch of the company’s dedicated mattress collections, as part of a focus to invest further in its hospitality offering.   With over 20 years’ experience in the furniture and mattress industry, including senior roles at well-established national mattress manufacturers, Jimmy joins Harrison Spinks as the company’s primary hospitality lead to further advance its strategy – representing the brand at key industry events including Decorex and the Independent Hotel Show, as well as building strategic relationships to support ongoing growth in this market.   Commenting on his new role, Jimmy Caines said: “Joining Harrison Spinks presents an exciting opportunity to bring my years of field experience to a forward-thinking, innovative company renowned for its dedication to providing luxury, responsibly made beds and mattresses."  “The hospitality sector holds immense potential for us, and I’m keen to ensure more guests across the country experience the exceptional comfort and high-quality craftsmanship of a Harrison Spinks mattress."   “I’m proud to be joining a team who are incredibly passionate about the brand and its story, and are committed to enhancing the guest experience for our clients. While my primary focus is hospitality, I will be drawing on the strong relationships I’ve built over the years to support the retail side of the business too.”   Harrison Spinks has relaunched its two bespoke collections – the Signature Collection, designed for hotels and hoteliers, and the iD Collection, created with interior designers in mind. Each collection offers thirteen expertly handcrafted designs available in a range of tensions, including turn-free, dual-sided and pillowtop options tailored to meet the diverse needs of hotel and contract clients.   The company has also refreshed its product brochures which detail its tailored service – where beds can be made to any width or length, with a choice of tension, fabric and headboard.   Each mattress is carefully layered with responsibly sourced natural materials, including breathable, homegrown hemp and flax, and temperature-regulating traceable British and Yorkshire wool, combined with ultra-responsive HD micro springs and award-winning Cortec™ Quad pocket springs, for targeted support and cloud-like comfort.   Nick Booth, Managing Director at Harrison Spinks Beds, said: “Our renewed focus on the hospitality sector marks an exciting chapter for Harrison Spinks. The appointment of Jimmy into this newly created role, combined with the relaunch of these two specialist collections demonstrate our commitment to delivering unique, highly tailored beds that provide exceptional sleep and a lasting impression on our clients’ guests."  “This strategic investment reflects the growing demand for luxurious, handcrafted and responsibly made beds in the hospitality space, and our investment in our leadership, innovation and storytelling is helping us grow this important part of our business.”  Photo: (Left to right): Signature Collection 23,000 cut through at the Harrison Spinks farm & Jimmy Caines, National Hospitality Account Manager at the Harrison Spinks Innovation Centre.

Bradford headquartered TL Dallas has signed a deal to continue its longstanding partnership with Bradford City AFC. The new three-year agreement will take its involvement with the club beyond 25 years. As a fourth-generation family and employee-owned business, that has been based in Bradford for over 106 years, TL Dallas first began its official journey with the Bantams in the 2000/01 season, securing an executive box in the newly developed main stand – a space it’s held ever since. This new agreement will see TL Dallas retain the executive box for the next three seasons, alongside its ongoing sponsorship of The Bradford End Stand. Mike Martin, Group Director of TL Dallas, said: “Our connection with Bradford City stretches back even further, through our long-standing friends at Thomas Fattorini Ltd – the famous makers of the 1911 FA Cup trophy won by Bradford City. In 2003, we proudly became the naming rights partner of The Bradford End Stand, which is now known as the TL Dallas Community Stand. This latest deal will extend our naming rights through to 2028, marking more than a quarter of a century of support for the club." “Last year, we were delighted to see the stand renamed the TL Dallas Community Stand, reinforcing our commitment to the local community. Through the Bradford City Community Foundation’s Community Ticket Scheme, the stand has hosted thousands of schoolchildren and community members – something we’re incredibly proud to support." “Our backing of Bradford City has never wavered, and we were thrilled to see the team achieve promotion at the end of last season. The passion shown by the city, its supporters, and everyone at the club was remarkable." “We wish Graham and the squad every success in Sky Bet League One, and we’re looking forward to seeing the TL Dallas Community Stand full once again – particularly with the buzz of more local derbies and the continuation of the Community Foundation’s fantastic ticketing scheme." “The club’s progress in recent years under the leadership of Stefan Rupp, Ryan Sparks, and the senior team has been impressive, and we are honoured to be part of that journey. We thank Bradford City for their ongoing partnership and look forward to continuing our shared success both on and off the pitch.” Bradford City’s commercial manager, Michael Shackleton, added: “It has been a privilege to work with Mike and his team during my time at the football club, and we are excited to continue the partnership over the next three years. TL Dallas has been a huge supporter of Bradford City commercially and we always enjoy working closely with Bradford-based businesses. TL Dallas has been heavily involved, partnering in several areas, including naming rights, executive boxes, branding and player sponsorship and we are very grateful for that.”

Two of a Leamington distiller’s best-selling gins are now even more accessible following their launch of the new ready-to-drink cans range. Warwickshire Gin Company’s award-winning signature drinks, Leamington On Parade and Philosopher’s Daughter are among the first in the country to offer an authentic gin serving as opposed to ‘flavoured alcohol’ in a can. The 250ml offering - at 7%ABV and a cost of £4.50 - mark the latest chapter of growth for distiller David Blick who established Warwickshire Gin Company in 2018. David said: “We’ve chosen our two most popular gins to can which also have quite contrasting flavour profiles. As far as we’re aware there aren’t any other craft drink brands canning their product in this way. It’s just all the big boys, which you can only get in the supermarkets.” “We want to give people on the move a different way to drink Warwickshire gin, eg. at festivals, picnics, train journeys etc. It makes it easier to drink on the go because you don’t need to carry the bottle or bottle opener or receptacle to pour it in." “The market is really large for RDTs (ready to drinks) now, although, after lots of our own market research, we’ve noticed the quality is generally quite poor. What makes us unique is that we are making it with proper gin rather than gin-flavoured alcohol as most of the others seem to do. This opens up a totally new way to drink proper gin for new clientele.” The inspiration behind the drinks collection comes from a desire to capture a moment in history, developing flavours to fully represent the county’s own unique story and bringing the range of hand-crafted flavours to life. Leamington on Parade is a lightly spiced blend with Ceylon tea, cinnamon and hibiscus and is inspired by Sam Lockhart, the famous elephant trainer, who lived in Leamington Spa from the late 1800's until his death in 1933. In that time he trained and imported several elephants from Ceylon and became the foremost elephant trainer in the world. His most famous troupe were three female elephants Wilhelmina, Trilby and Haddie, known collectively as the Three Graces. His elephants entertained Queen Victoria and were kept, at times, in Leamington Spa in the 1880s and 1890s when he was home from his various international shows. There are several references to Lockhart's elephants across Leamington. The Philosopher’s Daughter recipe has been infused with a selection of flavours carefully chosen to honour the daughter of one of the most revered Philosophers of the Elizabethan age, including Rosehip Peel, Rose Petals, Apple and Cherries. It is inspired by John Dee, one of Queen Elizabeth I’s most trusted advisors – and his daughter Kathrine. Dee was tasked with many requests, which led him to make many discoveries, one of which was the distillation of alcohol. Kathrine would have carefully selected many of the botanicals for her father to fulfil his works, until his death at the age of 81 years. Elizabeth I encouraged her nobles and courtiers to construct countless ‘Knot Gardens’ in order to equip the alchemists and philosophers with their quests. The most romantic Knot Garden of that time was the ‘privy paradise’ that Robert Dudley created at Kenilworth Castle, for a three-week celebration to court Her Majesty. Other gins that form the collection are: The Kingmaker, named after Richard Neville 16th Earl of Warwick; Peeping Tom, inspired by the legend of Coventry’s Lady Godiva; Pelota Dry Gin, inspired by Spanish Merchant named Juan Augurio Perera who invented lawn tennis and opened the world’s first Lawn Tennis Club in Leamington in 1873.

A health product launched by a former commando is now available from Boots – one of the UK’s largest retailers. Farard Darver created HEMPE – a CBD product – after finding it was the only thing that relieved his pain after being injured in Afghanistan. Having resigned from the military he risked everything to create the product because of his belief in its pain-relieving qualities. Darver, who lives in Lymington, Hants, and runs his business Health International Research from Wimborne in Dorset, said the listing by Boots is a major step forward. He said: “I created the company just five years ago so for our brand to be sold online through Boots the Chemist is a major achievement. I am utterly convinced our product HEMPE is the best out there and last year we became the first CBD gel to gain NSF certification – enabling professional athletes and the military to safely use it." “Boots is one of the most trusted names in the spheres of health and medicine and to be associated with it helps give us legitimacy. CBD does have a perception issue due to its derivation from the hemp plant, but the gel is entirely safe to use – and ours is absorbed completely through the skin." “It gives muscle and joint relief and there are hot and cold versions depending on what is best for the person using it. Reactions to HEMPE have been incredible and many people have found it enables them to do things they thought were quite beyond their capabilities." “Whether its sports people – like West Ham player Tomáš Souček who uses it – or the elderly seeking better mobility, the product is becoming very popular around the world. We’re hoping that the exposure it gets from Boots online will convert more people to using it. Our objective is to have HEMPE rolled out into more retail outlets across the UK and abroad. The business growth has been fantastic and I am in discussions with partners around the world including many professional sports teams.” Before joining the military Farard was a boyband star and crooner.

An award-winning Therapy and Fitness Centre is celebrating the appointment of its newest therapist who, they guarantee, offers a very safe pair of hands! Former para-commando Jay Moore, of Midland Physiotherapy, is now combining his 15 years in the military with his experience as a rehabilitation instructor and physiotherapist, to benefit patients at the pain management and injury clinic in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. Jay has just received the Physiotherapy Prize Award for exceptional performance in clinical practice and consistent high standards of academic work, from the University of Wolverhampton. And, as he joins the 10-strong Therapy and Fitness Centre team, vows to bring his all-round level of care which extends to the mind as well as the body. He said: “It’s all about being able to find a way of keeping people doing what they want to do with a few modifications. I think there are some physios who develop a less than favourable reputation because they take people off what they enjoy doing. And then you’re suddenly dealing with more of a psychological issue than a physiological one." “Of course there are times where you need to completely de-load a patient for a period of time, such as if they’ve had a fracture, because otherwise the bone or the tissue won't heal. However, it’s not very often and I think this mindset approach goes a long way with patients because they see you always trying to keep them on the field or in the gym or walking their dog or lifting their grandchildren, not stopping them from doing it." Jay, a HCPC and CSP-registered and qualified personal trainer and teacher, provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment for acute and chronic conditions, sporting and non-sporting, recreational and occupational-related injuries, helping patients to achieve their goal of returning to peak function and ‘living life on their terms. And he says his time in the forces – including five tours of duty in Afghanistan - influences his approach to treatment today – as well as his own ongoing journey of recovery. “I wanted to complete paratrooper training and the commando course because it’s the toughest of the tough. I joined with 58 people and just 16 of us finished,” he said. "I lost six friends in Afghanistan, and I've lost another five who have since left the forces. It doesn't stop the day you walk out those gates, it carries on, but I just worked really hard and wasn't willing to accept that there wasn't a way to deal with it and make it work for me.” The 37-year-old added: “I think my military background is definitely one of the things that helps set myself apart from other physiotherapists. There’s a unique set of skills and experience I bring to the profession – including personal organisation, people skills, problem solving, remaining calm under pressure, and communication. “I can bring a lot when it comes to helping manage patients’ injuries. It might be something chronic, an injury or just a niggle that they haven't been able to shake off for a while. It might be that lower back pain that flares up every now and then. I've worked with people of all ages, from as young as 12 right the way through to my oldest patient at 97." “The one common denominator with them all is that they want to be able to do the things they want to do, when they want to do them, whether that's jumping on the bus to go to the local supermarket or being able to take part in a dance or gymnastics competition - and everything in between.” The award-winning Therapy and Fitness Centre, headed up by Lisa Devine, since 2011, offers access to a range of therapies, from Reflexology, Acupuncture and Manual Lymphatic Drainage through to Massage, Podiatry and Aesthetics as well as Yoga, Pilates and Fitness classes. Lisa said: “Having Jay join us helps us to provide a more comprehensive approach to the injuries we see in the clinic. Physiotherapists can assess and diagnose musculoskeletal issues, design rehabilitation programs, and guide clients through exercises, strengthening routines, and other therapies to improve strength, flexibility, and range of motion. This will give us more medical focus on what we can offer." “In turn physiotherapy complements the soft tissue work of our sports massage therapists, creating a synergy for faster recovery and injury prevention. This in turn will help us to increase client trust and confidence, giving us access to private healthcare companies.”

Craft beer, once a niche market, has exploded into a global phenomenon, captivating the taste buds of beer enthusiasts and novices alike. In fact, the world of craft beer has a rich history, diverse styles, and truly passionate artisans behind the brews themselves. Craft Beer: A Defining History   Craft beer's journey began in the late 20th century when a few adventurous brewers decided to break away from the mass-produced beers that were dominating the market. This revolution sparked a resurgence of traditional brewing techniques, emphasising quality, flavour, and uniqueness. A Plethora of Styles   One of the most exciting aspects of craft beer is the vast array of styles and flavours it offers. From hoppy IPAs and rich stouts to sour ales and fruity options, craft breweries continuously push the boundaries of what's possible in a pint. Each sip is a taste of innovation and tradition, making craft beer an ideal playground for both brewers and consumers. The Artisans Behind the Brews   Craft beer is, at its core, a labour of love. Brewmasters, often entrepreneurs and artists at heart, pour their creativity into each batch. They experiment with ingredients, yeast strains, and ageing processes to create unique, memorable beers. Visiting a craft brewery is like stepping into a passionate artist's studio, where you can witness the magic happening in the fermentation tanks. Local Pride and Sustainability Craft breweries often maintain strong ties to their local communities. They prioritise sourcing ingredients locally, supporting local farmers, and even collaborating with nearby businesses. This emphasis on locality not only strengthens communities but also contributes to sustainability. A Thriving Industry   The craft beer industry has experienced tremendous growth over the past few decades. This rise in popularity has led to a surge in the number of breweries, which, in turn, has created thousands of jobs and boosted tourism. Craft beer enthusiasts flock to beer festivals and taprooms, further driving the industry's success. The Future of Craft Beer   As the craft beer movement continues to evolve, it's likely we'll see even more innovative and exciting developments. Whether it's new brewing techniques, unique flavour combinations, or sustainable practices, craft beer's future remains bright and promising. Craft beer is more than just a beverage; it's a cultural phenomenon that celebrates tradition, creativity, and community. With its wide array of styles, passionate artisans, and commitment to local and sustainable practices, the craft beer renaissance shows no signs of slowing down. It's a testament to the enduring allure of a well-brewed pint.