Once upon a time, in a green and pleasant land not all that long ago, people more or less knew how to behave. You held the door open for someone. You said “thank you” when someone passed the salt. And if a stranger dropped their wallet, you picked it up and handed it back without […]

A rugby mate messaged me last night in the group chat and asked if he could drop me a private message; he said it had been a bad few days, but I didn’t realise then the real impact of his words until I opened my DM box. He told me that we’d lost one of […]

Let’s be honest. When someone mentions the “Chamber of Commerce,” most people picture a room full of middle-aged men holding lukewarm tea, politely clapping for someone giving a PowerPoint on ‘synergy’. And yes, there is probably a bacon butty involved. But are Chambers just glorified breakfast clubs and awards nights with a few free pens […]

Every startup founder dreams of the day someone truly sees them. Not just their pitch deck, not their business plan, but their essence. Sadly, for many of us, the first person to “get it” isn’t a brilliant entrepreneur, a seasoned venture capitalist, or even your mum after a long chat and a go on the […]

Ah, volunteers. The lifeblood of the third sector. The unsung heroes. The salt of the Earth. And sometimes, the absolute worst people you could possibly let through the door. Let’s be honest. Every well-meaning community group, charity or local initiative starts with big dreams: “Let’s do some good!” “Let’s make a difference!” “Let’s serve the […]