Hurd & Co, the esteemed business based in Somerset and celebrated for its craft industry achievements, is excited to announce the 2024 launch of its UK Training Academy. This pioneering online platform is specially devised for home-based crafters aspiring to convert their pastime into a profitable business.

The company’s rise from a modest table-top knitting hobby in Somerset to a multi-award-winning entity is a testament to the founder’s devotion to the craft world. The academy, accessible on the Skool online platform, comprises three detailed courses: “How to Start,” “Stand Out,” and “Sell at Your First or Next Craft Fair,” offering a complete “business in a box” approach.

The academy’s curriculum includes 12 well-structured modules per course, expertly crafted to assist participants in every phase of launching and maintaining a prosperous craft business. It has earned an official endorsement from the Rural Living Show in Taunton, affirming its dedication to craft excellence.

Dawn Hurd, the inspiration behind Hurd & Co, has a remarkable story of overcoming adversity. Transitioning from the fitness and health sector to crafts in 2009 due to personal challenges, including 8 miscarriages, Dawn invested around £18,000 in coaching from Big Business Events. This investment turned her business around from incurring losses at craft fairs to earning four-figure sums at prestigious events, such as the 2019 Pure London Fashion Show’s United Nations installation.

The UK Training Academy is Dawn’s way of sharing her success formula with upcoming craft entrepreneurs. The academy is a reflection of Hurd & Co’s nature-inspired and community-focused ethos.

Moreover, Hurd & Co has launched “Sit and Knit,” a weekly, free community group conducted both offline and online, aimed at fostering creativity, bonding, and addressing loneliness among the elderly.

Committed to social responsibility, Hurd & Co donates 5% of profits from each adult scarf sale to Age UK Somerset. The company is also an active participant in the sustainable wool campaign, supported by King Charles III.

Dawn Hurd remarks, “Empowering individuals go beyond where they are currently to generate an income, turn hobbies into profitable enterprises is a daily passion of mine.”

For more information on joining Sit & Knit, the online masterclasses, or the upcoming Training Academy, please visit www.hurdandco.com. Join us in unleashing the transformative power of creativity and community.

Celebrating a significant milestone, Dash Couriers Wiltshire LTD, a leading logistics firm with 25 years of business experience, is excited to announce the launch of Dash Parcel – a pioneering 100% electric parcel delivery service. This initiative showcases Dash Couriers’ deep commitment to environmental sustainability, continuous innovation, and superior customer service.

Founded in 2020 by the enterprising husband-and-wife team Darren and Shani Moore, Dash Couriers has experienced remarkable growth in its three-year journey. Starting as van drivers, the Moores’ dedication and insights propelled the company forward, with a breakthrough contract with Amazon six months into operations, setting the stage for future successes.

Boasting a combined 50 years of business acumen, including a previous venture in the motor trade, the Moores turned their vision for a logistics enterprise into a thriving business. Their story is a testament to resilience, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

Despite personal and professional challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, the Moores persevered. Shani’s personal challenges, balancing roles as a wife, mother, and caregiver, fuelled her drive. The couple’s exposure to driver mistreatment in the logistics sector motivated them to create a company centred around employee welfare.

Through self-education and a deep passion for their work, the Moores led Dash Couriers to distribute over 10 million parcels nationwide. The company’s focus on employee welfare, community involvement, and rapid growth has led to a robust team of 60 drivers, a fleet of 50 vehicles, and securing five significant contracts.

Recently, Dash Couriers invested £500,000 in 10 electric vehicles, culminating in the launch of Dash Parcel. This eco-friendly service focuses on sustainable deliveries within London and SN postcodes, offering both business and consumer parcel delivery with guaranteed next-day and same-day options. With ambitious expansion plans for 2024, Dash Couriers aims to extend its network across the UK.

Darren Moore, Managing Director of Dash Couriers, stated, “We firmly believe in the correlation between driver welfare and customer satisfaction. By respecting and empowering our team, Dash Couriers has built a business model that thrives on exceptional service. Listening to customer feedback on how we can sustainably operate and adhering to personal passion has been at the core of our success.”

Dash Couriers invites individuals and businesses to experience the future of eco-friendly deliveries. For more information or to discuss your delivery needs, contact Dash Parcel at [email protected] and join the movement towards a greener, more efficient future.

Lion Trust, a vanguard in the investment sector, recently received the prestigious Best Private Equity Service Provider award in Singapore. This honour is a recognition of the firm’s efforts to make sophisticated investment opportunities accessible to a wider audience, traditionally limited to institutional and high net worth investors.

The award highlights Lion Trust’s role in altering the investment sphere, enabling all investors, regardless of their portfolio size, to take advantage of unique and high-value investment opportunities.

James Grosvenor, CEO of Lion Trust, shared his thoughts on the accolade, remarking, “We are delighted to be the recipients of such a coveted award. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing retail investors with access to opportunities that are typically exclusive to institutional and high-net-worth investors. At Lion Trust, we firmly believe that every investor deserves the best information to make money, and we are dedicated to serving the retail market, ensuring that even investors without a million dollars to spare can benefit from our expertise.”

With Grosvenor at its forefront, Lion Trust has established itself as a prominent international investment firm, headquartered in Singapore and boasting a network of offices and resources worldwide. The firm’s global strategy reflects its mission to enable investors to flourish in the ever-changing financial environment.

Grosvenor added, “Lion Trust is not just a financial services provider; it’s a commitment to excellence and inclusivity in the world of investments. Our global presence allows us to extend our reach and resources, ensuring that investors around the world can benefit from our cutting-edge services.”

Lion Trust’s receipt of the Best Private Equity Service Provider award reinforces its position as an industry leader and highlights its commitment to providing top-tier services to investors globally. As Lion Trust continues to evolve, it remains focused on innovation, inclusivity, and delivering superior value to its clients.

Bluewater, the Swedish trailblazer in water and beverage innovation, is pleased to announce the continuation of its partnership with Ellie Aldridge, Team GB’s distinguished Formula Kite athlete, for an additional 12 months.

Ellie Aldridge, aged 26, was first appointed as a brand ambassador for Bluewater a year ago, owing to her staunch advocacy for clean seas and her opposition to the use of single-use plastic bottles.

Her ongoing collaboration with Bluewater involves actively promoting the company’s sustainability efforts, generating unique content for her social media presence, sporting Bluewater-branded attire, co-creating recycled water bottles, and representing the brand in her global competitions.

“Aldridge is one of Formula Kite’s most successful international competitors with a deep-rooted passion for sustainability by ridding the planet of single-use plastic bottles,” said Bengt Rittri, Bluewater’s founder and CEO.

Aldridge notes that her sport, intimately tied to water and wind, makes her partnership with Bluewater an ideal match, given their shared commitment to environmental sustainability.

The British athlete is now firmly focused on the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, having been recently selected to represent Team GB in the sport’s Olympic debut.

Aldridge’s pioneering role in next year’s Olympic Games was solidified by her multiple victories in the 2023 KiteFoil World Series and her win at the 2023 European Championships in Portsmouth.

Expressing her delight at continuing the partnership, Aldridge said, “I am delighted to continue my work with Bluewater and can’t thank the purpose-driven Bluewater team enough. Working with such a sustainability pioneer is a great privilege.  Their support has been priceless and I am excited about what is to come in 2024 both on and off the water.”

Dave Noble, Bluewater’s spokesperson and Chief Communications Officer, commented, “Ellie is a huge ambassador for sport and the powerful role it can play in driving greater awareness, buy-in, and action around a more sustainable future for the planet and turning the tide on plastic pollution and related chemical contamination in the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes.”