I posted the original version of this article on my professional LinkedIn account at the beginning of last year, and although I don’t usually post the same material on here, I really felt it held an important message that wanted to share. So here is an updated personal reflection on the truth to the expression (attributed to the Dalai Lama) that ‘sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck’.
Now this concept at first seems counter-intuitive, but I have found throughout my life that it really does hold true, perhaps not at the moment of disappointment, but once I have had the time to reflect back and realise that one closed door led to a new opportunity or more enriching experience. And as we (hopefully) start to come out of this unprecedented time in human history, I think its even more important to keep perspective and look for the positives, as difficult as they may be to find at first.
I have also had time to really reflect and make sense during this time of enforced isolation about this strange about-turn I experienced in my professional life. As many of you know I posted on my Instagram back in Autumn 2019, that I had accepted a job working in Marketing for an offshore law firm in the Cayman Islands, and was incredibly excited about this opportunity. Indeed it was the realisation of a long-held (20 year) dream to relocate to the Caribbean (which has always held an attraction for me with its laid-back vibe, warmth and community spirit and of course the glorious scenery and indeed chose the island of Jamaica for my own wedding).
Now, as many of you also know I came back much earlier than expected (within a month), and although island life was just what I had dreamt it would be (full blogpost on the splendour that is the Cayman Islands and the concept of ‘Caymankind’ to follow), the role transpired to not be what I had expected it to be, or aligned with my long-term professional goals.
As you can imagine at the time I didn’t see this as a positive and indeed I went through a lot of soul-searching as I returned home in the middle of a bitterly cold winter wondering what had happened and trying to decide what I did next. I certainly didn’t see this as a wonderful stroke of luck as I do now.
By coming back to the UK, I ended up being offered a (much better and indeed dream) role working towards the Climate Conference (COP26) which will be held in Glasgow this November. During the course of this role I have really been able to develop my own skill set, as well as working on incredibly impactful projects and being at the heart of the climate crisis conversations and green finance solutions, including co-leading on producing the very high profile Green Horizon Summit last November at Mansion House in London, and developing the series of Green Horizon Perspective magazine style shows that followed.
I have also met some incredible people from all walks of life and finally felt I was combining both passion and purpose, something I have been trying to attain for many years.
I have also realised that the time and effort I had dedicated, in the lead up to the big move to Grand Cayman, in order to foster local knowledge and connections, would not go wasted. Indeed I have made some incredible connections on both a professional and personal level, who I am still in touch with two years later.
With Forbes Writer Daphne Ewing-ChowAt The Ritz Carlton with new friend made on island LucyWith Joey Hew (Former Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure for The Cayman Islands)
And my commitment to the Cayman Islands and my personal passion to supporting island states more broadly in their quest for climate solutions and raising awareness of the issues they face, has not wavered. The consequences of global warming and plastic pollution is increasingly being experienced by all of us, however small island states are often at the forefront of the impact of this crisis and this is exacerbated because of their size and exposure. And have been delighted in my spare time to be an Ambassador representing the Cayman Islands and the UK for Island Innovation supporting on their virtual island summit three years in a row.
And whilst I haven’t given up on my island dream forever, I have realised that right now, accepting that what seemed initially to be a big disappointment actually was a huge blessing, and that I am exactly where I need to be right now, but carrying the Caribbean island vibes within me wherever I am, and wherever I go.
I was so delighted to learn that the Mondrian brand has opened a new flagship hotel in East London, giving the building which previously housed the fabulous The Curtain (and which sadly closed during the pandemic) a new lease of life. Around the corner from my previous workplace, The Curtain was my go to spot for organising client hospitality events as well as meeting friends, so am excited to pop across when am next in the city to see what leading interior design firm Goddard Little has created as part of its new identity. Full blogpost to follow. For more information on this fabulous new addition to the Shoreditch scene visit the website.
I am delighted to feature Janet Mohapi-Banks, in my latest Inspiring Individuals interview. Janet and I met over ten years ago when we were both in the wedding industry. Since then Janet has gone through what was originally diagnosed as an incurable illness, an unexpected divorce and the heart surgery of her daughter, to becoming a Breakthrough Coach where mixing Mindset, Metaphysics, and Energy Work, she helps her clients to overcome their limiting beliefs and sabotaging behaviours to reach their next level of success and fulfilment.
Janet was running an award-winning cake business creating cakes for some of the most prestigious venues in London, including The Ritz Hotel when we first met, and I commissioned some exquisite cakes for our new Bond Street accessory store launch party.
But we then lost touch until she popped up in my LinkedIn feed in early 2020, and we caught up on the last decade over a virtual coffee. Indeed, it really was a fortuitous call, as soon after our catch-up call, I was offered the role I am currently in which has very much been the dream job. And although the call I had with Janet was not a coaching one, as we talked about my career hopes and ambitions and about her methods, I am sure in some way that conversation contributed to unblocking the channel needed to manifest some of my unfulfilled dreams into reality. And as we are now wearily in year two of the pandemic, and some of us working in the climate arena might be feeling a tad overwhelmed and jaded by the enormity of the challenges ahead, I thought this the perfect time to share some of the Mohapi-Banks magic.
WD : Firstly, congratulations on your recent move to Canada and thank you again for your friendship and support over the last couple of years. Can you tell us about your journey to working as a Breakthrough Coach?
JMB: When I first got well, I had originally planned to take a year off and just Be with my children and not do much at all. But you know what us entrepreneurial types are like! Within a month of declaring myself fully better I knew that I was here to help other people, women in particular, to reach the success that I had before but without it nearly killing them as it had done me. So, the first incarnation of my coaching was as a Business Coach. However, it fairly quickly became apparent that I much preferred working with the way people thought about themselves and their work than the nitty gritty of their business. So, that realisation, coupled with some events that were going on in my life, such as my child’s heart surgery and my son having some major issues at his primary school that we now know were due to him being autistic, lead me to go into Transformational Life Coaching.
As I grew and understood the needs of my clients more, I specialised as a Stress Coach. Unfortunately, I often wanted my clients to go further than they did, I wanted them to truly fly but they were generally content being free of stress. This caused me to transition again because I wasn’t receiving the fulfilment that I wanted, even though my clients were getting the results that they wanted. I was increasingly being drawn to energy healing and I knew that I wanted to include it in my practice so I became a Breakthrough Coach which allowed me to use all of the disciplines that I love the most.
WD: And what is the Mohapi Method To More™ framework that forms the basis of the Consciously Creating programmes you offer as part of your coaching?
JMB: The Mohapi Method to More™ is my own unique way of working with my Private 1:1 Mentoring Clients, and as you say, it forms the basis of the Consciously Creating group coaching programme. Within the framework we look at who you are Being. It encompasses Mindset, Manifestation, and Energy Healing as we work through what changes you would like to make in your life. Underneath those three pillars, are six areas of focus: your vision of the future, money, your perception of self, your perception of the world, unapologetic self-love and self-acceptance, and emotional, energetic, and cognitive alignment. As every person is unique, no two mentoring experiences are the same. Each session is directed by the client’s needs but the outcome is always More peace-of-mind, More joy, More fulfilment, and as a result, More money shows up too.
WD: And would you say these are also core concepts in your book Habits for Happiness which I absolutely loved and have incorporated into my daily routine; I was particularly interested to learn about the idea of celebrating, and keeping a book of wins. Can you tell us more about why this is so important to do?
JMB: My book, Habits for Happiness is the very best first starting place for anybody new to personal development. Although certain practices within the book are part of exercises that I recommend to my clients, such as meditation, celebrating etc, the work in the Consciously Creating programme and my Private Mentoring is on a whole other level. The reason that it’s so important to celebrate and appreciate the steps along the journey is because it changes the frequency of your vibration. Everything is energy and our core vibration is what attracts things and experiences into our life. Our level of consciousness correlates to our core vibration so if we are living in a state of low consciousness such as fear, shame or guilt, we’ll attract things into our life that cause us to feel those same emotions. When we elevate our consciousness into that of love, acceptance, joy, or peace, we’ll attract more of things that will cause us to feel those emotions. When we celebrate ourselves, we show ourselves love and we experience joy, so the more that we can do this, the more our core frequency and level of consciousness will rise.
WD: So, for me the concept of Joseph Campbell’s “Follow your Bliss” is a central theme for my blog. Can you tell me how you interpret this and how it plays into your teachings and work?
JMB: I had to look up who Joseph Campbell was as I’d never heard of him before. The concept of following your bliss is something that I’m very familiar with though. The reason that any of us do anything is because we believe that we will be happier as a result of doing it. Often that can come from fear, ie, we do the thing or want the thing, because we don’t want to feel the pain of another choice, but that motivation doesn’t necessarily transcend into actually achieving the life you want because as soon you’re out of the immediate pain you’ve lost your motivation. When you’re pulled towards your bliss, your motivation becomes inspiration that will keep pulling you forwards. If you can embody what that bliss feels like now, you can quantum leap into manifesting the things that support that feeling and that life. Following your bliss is fundamental in everything I do.
WD: I am so happy to hear how you have overcome such difficult times and your joy for life and belief that we should all be fulfilling our potential is very inspiring, but do you have moments when you also feel you lose faith and how do you tap back into the right mindset?In particular how did you manage to stay the course with your dream of moving to Canada in the midst of a pandemic?
JMB: Absolutely! We’re all on the journey. I might be further along in many aspects than my clients, but working on my mindset is still something that I get to do. As I breakthrough levels I still need to fill myself up with love and self-worth so I maintain the new level. I get to observe all of my thoughts so I’m able to recognise where I might be judging myself instead of living with full allowing and acceptance. My days of losing faith don’t come very often now because I know that regardless of what’s going on, I’m mastering growth and expansion over my lifetime, not just in that moment. Ultimately though, I get to decide the person that I am, and Be that person.
Sometimes it does take a long time for the manifestation to materialise, and in cases like when we sold our house to move to Canada, it took over a year before we got here because planes were grounded and everywhere was in lockdown. Because we’d already sold the house and the new owners wanted to move in, we had to move into an AirBnB cottage until I received the necessary permits to enter Canada and we were allowed to fly. So I got to remember, time and time and time again that we would absolutely get there. I didn’t accept that there was another option. I reaffirmed every day that everything always works for me. I visualised time and time and time again the view from the apartment that we would rent. I got to feel into how it would feel to be here – and it all came true. The apartment we moved into was exactly as I had envisioned. We’d sold everything in the house and moved with two big suitcases and a small suitcase each, and this apartment was fully furnished down to towels, sheets, cutlery, crockery, and even a couple of blowdryers! We could literally move in and without having to buy anything that we needed. And the view … I visualised views of the city, water, and mountains, and that’s exactly what I got.
WD: I love how you visualised the view and how it came true! So what’s next for Janet M-B and the brand?
JMB: At the moment I’m doing an MBA which is a lot of work. I’m also running my group programmes, my private mentoring, and free coaching container and Masterclasses. The next free 3-day Masterclass series starts on Monday 9 August, and Consciously Creating, my 6-week group programme is starting on 25 August, and the private mentoring is ongoing, although due to the MBA, I’m only working with a limited number of people. When my MBA is finished in 2023, I plan on writing another book and growing my business to employ more people to share all I know about living with ease, abundance, and fulfilment. Thank you so much for having me, I look forward to seeing you in the Masterclass!
It was such a delight to interview Janet and I hope this has inspired you all to vibrate at a higher level in order to achieve your aims. It certainly has reinvigorated me to clear the blocks and to “Be” in tune with my core aims and true purpose. More on that to follow! 😉
I first discovered the gorgeous jewellery brand Cabinet Jewellery, founded by Gemma Critchley who spent her childhood growing up in the Cayman Islands, at the beautiful Mercantile boutique in the Grand Cayman Marriott Hotel. As a huge lover of the Caribbean, I was captured by the spirit of wanderlust encapsulated by the Cabinet pieces, as well as the nod to island life and the tropics.
Based in Devon, Cabinet produces its gold and silversmith work in the UK, ensuring quality craftsmanship and execution of their designs with some seriously tropical roots. With Gemma’s father working in marine biology, focusing on sea turtles, she has inherited his love for the ocean and natural island habitats.
With a range of necklaces, bracelets rings and earrings in sterling silver, 9ct gold plated and 9ct solid plate with prices starting at GBP45 for a simple pearl necklace to GBP375 for a solid gold palm pendant, the collection is so beautifully curated it is hard to pick any favourites. And what I also love about the brand is the fact they are not trend-led, but embrace the idea of ‘slow fashion’ which is increasingly more in vogue as sustainability becomes more important in our daily choices. They design pieces of jewellery with stories to tell, and want the wearer to create their own unique collections that mean something to them and reflect their own style, with the emphasis on layering.
Inspired by dreamy tropical seascapes and a love for uncomplicated mindful design, during a year in lockdown with no escape to a sun-kissed island, I have very much enjoyed looking at the collection and dreamy photo shoots, trying to pick what pieces I would purchase to bring me a taste of the tropics during the cold and grey London winter. Finally, settling on the Dream Coin Pendant, which makes me think of sitting on a tropical beach under the the moon and stars and looking at the shimmering ocean; and also the Royal Palms pendant, which was inspired by an 18th century lithograph Gemma discovered in a flea market (both pictured below).
I would encourage everyone to find your own personal ways to incorporate some sunshine and tropical vibes as we continue to navigate what living in a post-pandemic world means and until we can reunite with our dreams on faraway shores. As Gemma says “The choices we make tell a never-ending tale about our personalities that continue to unfold with every new day.“
In the meantime, while a tropical break may be a few months away, I think I will indulge in a little more escapism – am seriously in love with these Eden Earrings based on the beautiful shape of the Monstera deliciosa, one of my favourite tropical plants and which symbolises happiness and big dreams in feng shui. Bring on the sunshine!
With love Sangeeta x
Picture credits (except for pic 5) : Photographer Chloe Upton
Last week Thursday 22 April marked the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, and I am therefore delighted to feature my friend Cathy Mears-Martin, who is a passionate environmentalist, as my latest interviewee in my Inspiring Individuals series. Cathy and I met through Instagram and was wonderful to get the chance to meet up in person before lockdown took over our lives. Cathy left a successful career in advertising in 2019 to focus on her passion as an environmental campaigner. She has created a really excellent blog Simply Sustainable Ideas and is an ambassador for Keep Britain Tidy Ambassador and an Environmenstrual Ambassador for the Women’s Environmental Network. And in her quest to share her passion more widely she has just published a brilliant series of children’s books, the Eco Protection Squad (the Kindle version launched on Amazon last Thursday on Earth Day).
WD: Firstly, congrats on the launch of the book series, but before we get to that in more detail, can you tell us how your passion for working towards a cleaner planet began? And what made you leave your job to focus on it full-time?
CMM: Thank you Sangeeta. First, I would like to say I can’t believe we have known each other for over a year and how great to see how social media can really help build communities of like-minded people and help form real life friendships.
After travelling in Asia in 2016, I became more aware of single use waste. My first litter pick was at a waterfall in Cambodia and on the way back I paid more attention to the people burning rubbish on the side of the road because they did not have a rubbish collection system set up. When I returned to the UK, I began to research littering, recycling, and waste collection. We are in a country where we have systems in place to sort materials or pick up our waste. And yet I had never paid attention to what happened to it. I realised solutions included better education, awareness and understanding of product lifecycle and more circular economy and reusables vs single use. It essentially led me to a low waste lifestyle. I started an Instagram account about this to share tips with friends and family and a wider community started following me too.My approach has always been to educate and share options we have so you can make an informed decision. As a historian, I love facts and seeing how the past can influence our future for learning. So I include some fun, interesting, historical, and hopefully impactful facts about the topics discussed.
At the same time I was working as a project manager in advertising. When I was younger, I had set my personal work target to be earning a certain figure and being at a particular level for me to feel successful. As I hit my targets, I kept increasing them, and progressed to the level of Programme Director. But my work satisfaction started to change drastically in 2018 onwards. I began taking a step back from overall consumerism and over consumption…My favourite part of work was being co-head of the Green Team and creating challenges to get the company involved. I was struggling with aligning my home and life beliefs and knew I had to make a change as it wasn’t sustainable for me. I was working insanely long hours doing a job I no longer believed in. It wasn’t fair on me or the company I was working for. After a weekend at a family friends birthday weekend, I talked my thoughts out with my family and realised I needed to quit. I wasn’t happy working in an industry promoting buying the latest model and wanted to give myself a chance working in a job for a company that I knew cared for the environment and the future of our planet and race. So I quit. It was a hard decision but I felt as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders!
WD: I was attracted to your blog and Instagram posts as you approach the topic in a very grounded way, acknowledging that most people want to change how they live, but at times it can be overwhelming to know how to start and the information is not always that readily available. Can you explain the ethos of your blog? And what are your tips for people trying to change their daily habits.
CMM: My first piece of advice is to be easy on yourself and don’t get despondent with green guilt’. There is no such thing as being perfectly zero waste – everything we do has an impact. We just have to decide what that impact is. It can be positive, neutral or negative.The biggest thing I suggest though is taking responsibility for your actions, choices and ultimately your waste. You can make a difference and if you are not happy with a company sending you lots of plastic wrapping…tell that company. Petition the government, use your vote, speak up, talk about it with friends and family. We need to make a fuss that it isn’t normal or acceptable and companies must make changes to their production and care about the end of life of their products.
When swapping to a lower waste lifestyle, start small. Every single swap you make has an impact and it takes over a month for new habits to form. Start with a room – the kitchen or the bathroom for example – and slowly make changes there. For example, swapping out your shower gel for soaps or reusable body wash. Reusable cotton wipes, even the toilet paper you use. Remember though, the most sustainable item is the one you didn’t have to buy. So always see what you can reuse from your house. For example, those old towels you have lying around…they are great if you cut them up for cleaning rags / to replace paper towels.
We work hard for our money, so I would always suggest looking at the ethics and ethos of a company you purchase from – your money is your power so use it well and try support those companies or small businesses making a difference where you can.If this helps, my first swaps were my menstrual cup, shopping and produce bags, soaps, a reusable bottle and cup, cotton wipes to put toner on each morning, toilet paper and toothpaste tablets.
My later swaps include making more homemade food and packing lunch vs buying, choosing products based on their packaging (ideally loose and free or refillable), making my own cleaning products, repairing items and shopping second hand and even using a portable bidet (which I LOVE and recommend to everyone!)Even now, I am still making swaps at home. Not everyone in my household is on the same journey and that is ok. Overall, as a family we are still producing a lot less waste as a result. Plus, I petition my local MP on a regular basis to make changes, which is definitely something I recommend doing!
WD: Very helpful tips, thank you. And can you tell us more about your work with Keep Britain Tidy and litter-picking. A growing global movement, which as we have discussed before, I still find hard to fathom needs to be done. Why do people litter in the first place? I think the topic of a whole other post!
CMM: Completely agree with you – I could talk for hours about littering, recycling and Keep Britain Tidy a charity which I love so much so that I jumped at the opportunity to do a part time recycling role for them, and I had so much work satisfaction from it. I would basically talk to people about making changes to their recycling habits and found that a few people genuinely didn’t know what they were doing was contaminating the recycling load. Plastic bags would be added, food and drink, and even used nappies!
Keep Britain Tidy also work on some fantastic and insightful reports about consumer behaviours and why people may do things. Take recycling for example – some of the worst recyclers are those committed to recycling because they believe they know the rules and don’t update their knowledge. And in the UK recycling rules vary quite a bit from borough to borough or council to council. In Test Valley you can’t recycle yoghurt pots or clear plastic trays but in Southwark in London, you can recycle both of those PLUS there is a food composting scheme. And if you add to that packaging labels and the vast amount of different materials – there are 7 different classes of plastics – well, it doesn’t make it easy to understand.
Keep Britain Tidy also does some fascinating studies and work on littering. About 48% of people have admitted to littering which seems incredibly high. If you understand that littering also includes cigarette butts and chewing gum…well, that figure may make a bit more sense, despite how bad both those items are for us and the environment.Their Great British Spring Clean is going to kick off – from 23rd May – 13th June – and they are asking people to pledge to clean miles. Check out and sign up to their #MillionMileMission. If you are out on a walk, why not incorporate a litter pick and help keep your local area clean?
I know from experience that some people are under the impression that someone else will clean up after me. But it isn’t anyone else’s job to tidy up after the mess you make. You brought it, you take it – it is your responsibility as a person living on this planet to be mindful of your impact. You wouldn’t leave the rubbish in your living room – why are you leaving it in a public space. Have fun, enjoy a cheeky tinny in the park, just be respectful to those around you and keep spaces tidy for others.
Another thing to consider about rubbish and littering – have you ever been to a park with filled up bins and just tried to squeeze your ice cream wrapper in the edge? Well, what if the wind picks up? In your mind, it may be in a bin but in reality, it will float off in the breeze. What about those moments when it is a bit breezy and you take something out of your pocket or bag and an old receipt breaks loose? It isn’t as simple as saying everyone knowingly litters. Sometimes it is an accident. The majority of the time though I would say it was deliberate. So we need to raise awareness, build community spirit and help educate why we should all work together on reducing our waste and not littering.
WD: In my previous interview with Ocean Advocate Emily Penn, I touched on the idea of ‘sustainability work fatigue’ and frustration at the challenges you face. How do you deal with this?
CMM: Emily Penn is incredible. I was lucky enough to experience a couple of her events in London and have so much admiration for her. Yes, it is completely possible to experience this as it can be overwhelming, thinking about everything that needs to be done for humans to exist in the future. For them to experience the same wonders we are. That may sound fanciful and idealistic but at the end of the day, the planet doesn’t need us to survive. We need the planet.
A lot of litter pickers will mention their frustrations when they clear up an area only to return and for it to be messy again. I have a lot of respect for community and solo litter pickers, and litter pick myself. Sometimes you can make it fun and find some interesting or old items, even money. But most of the time it is the same rubbish, different day.
Honestly, when the thoughts spiral out of control, or I start to get depressed or tired about repeating the same message, I just remember that I have the luxury of time to research this. Not everyone does. I also focus on the wins, no matter how small. Even if it is one person making a positive comment or hearing a friend has made a sustainable swap. I focus on those wins, and I channel the frustrations to find new ways to reach other people.
WD : And now to the book series. I was so excited when you shared the initial concept with me and am still in awe of your creative genius coming up with this brilliant concept. Can you explain where the idea came from and tell us more about the Eco Protection Squad and the Eco Squashers.
CMM: Thank you, that’s so kind of you to say. I am so thankful you enjoyed it once you saw some of the initial ideas for the story too. I was so nervous sharing outside my family. This is my eco baby for sure. I had quit my job in December 2019 and was in America visiting my husband for a month before returning to real life and looking for a job. I was chatting to my mother-in-law about struggling to find a bigger way to appeal to more people and educate them about swaps and changes. I had realised that many people wanted to live more sustainability but didn’t know what that meant or how to go about it. And I was in a sustainable bubble – listening to people who were sharing similar tips I was in different ways.My MiL works with autistic children and mentioned how they have emotions characterised to help them understand their feelings and how to then manage them. It was a total EURIKA moment, and I started characterising the issues surrounding waste.
Welcome Single-Use Sally, the first character I created, followed by Danny Do Gooder and Plastic-free Prival. It took a while to come up with the team names and some of the other characters. And the likelihood is I will keep adding to the character list. But now I have an idea that makes it easier to understand the issues and presents them in a classic good vs bad adventure story. Think Paws Patrol meets Mr Men having tea with Captain Planet and Octonauts.
These characters follow me EVERYWHERE! And it was vital to me in creating my characters that I also present a diverse and inclusive team. Teamwork is important to help solve the climate crisis and everyone has their own set of special skills. I wanted people to love these characters and see ones that they can relate to.Meet the Eco Protection Squad. A team of super kids helping save Terra, Mother Earth, from Bill McGreedy and his band of Eco Squashers. The first adventure takes place in a park and tackles littering as well as recycling in a fun way. The second book will tackle what we flush down the loo.
It was important to me when creating my stories that I give back as well. I donate 100 copies of any story to the Eco Schools programme, 50p from every sale goes to a charity working to educate about the waste topic and 50p goes to Carbon Footprint projects.I also self-published the book because I wanted to control the supply chain to know I was supporting sustainable companies and no single use plastic is used! I visited the printing company to visually check their credentials for example.
I have to give a huge shout out to my mum – she is the one who has to pack and post any orders that go out! My mum is incredible, and I don’t know if I would have made this a success without her support and belief in these stories. My husband too. The person who sees my downs and my highs, my partner and confidant when things are tough or I need to talk out ideas and new approaches. He is my guinea pig haha!
WD: As you know at the heart of my Inspiring Individual series is reminding people of the concept Following your Bliss (as coined by Joseph Campbell). You are certainly doing this, but I would love to know what this means for you personally and why you think its important that people put passion and purpose in their work?
CMM: Great question. If you had asked me 2 years ago if I was following my passion, I would have said yea, of course. I’m good at what I do and I enjoy the role. But that isn’t passion. Now when people ask me I know what it means to be passionate about what I am doing. The fire in my belly when I wake up in the morning, hoping to make a difference to just 1 person. The drive to get up and focus my time and energy on something I believe in, something that I know will make a difference. The thought that if I had to stop doing this, I would be devastated. It motivates me. It invigorates me. I have a message to share so I need to get a wiggle on and share it!
In our current climate though, believe that I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to follow my passion. Not everyone has that luxury, and that is something I am always aware of and remember. So I want to make sure I use the most of my luxury to make it matter.
WD: So what does the future hold for the Eco Protection Squad, and for you?
CMM: Hopefully it is a bright future! There are so many stories in the works and I want to make audio versions as well as animations in order to spread the message as far as possible and make it as accessible for kids to read / hear / watch. I want to get a copy of each book in every school in the UK, if not the world and create bespoke stories for countries.
I want to make a difference to our planet and leave it better than it was when I was born. I want to educate others about what we can do to save Terra, reduce waste and live better. To work together to build back better. To create businesses and homes and enjoy activities that think about the lifecycle of any products associated.
Most of all, I want a future for any children, grand children and future generations, to be able to experience the beauty this planet has. To value differences and to enjoy nature and wildlife. To appreciate how lucky we are. Terra Mater Est.
It was such a delight to interview Cathy – and its the longest piece posted in my Inspiring Individuals series, but I wanted to share all of her passion and ideas with you all so nothing has been edited or trimmed! I hope it helps you as you embark on your own sustainability journey and making wiser choices for the greater good of the planet and humanity.
Love Sangeeta x
Note: You can buy the paperback and eBook version of the Eco Protection Squad Go To The Park here or find it on kindle here or visit Cathy’s blog
I have always loved Fortnum & Mason. Founded in London’s Piccadilly in 1707, and named after its two founders, William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, the iconic brand has become synonymous with quality, luxury and history. What started off as a grocery store in St James has become a worldwide phenomenon and indeed the humble Scotch egg can trace its origins to William Fortnum’s idea of covering a hard-boiled egg in sausage meat and breadcrumbs so ‘food on the go’ could be sold.
As we slowly emerge from our enforced winter hibernation, and are being encouraged to socialise again with friends and family outside, I can’t think of a better way to bring some cheer than filling up the famous F&M wickerwork hamper with goodies and going for a picnic in one of London’s parks. Although there is undoubtedly something very glamorous about the F&M hamper, they started life simply as travellers’ baskets since the food at coaching inns on the routes out of London was seldom appealing.
Even more exciting, as lockdown restrictions were eased this week in England, Fortnum’s launched a gorgeous outdoor terrace for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner at its Royal Exchange restaurant opposite Bank tube station, in the heart of London’s Square Mile.
As sustainability now becomes more and more at the heart of all business decision-making, it was interesting to learn that Mr Fortnum and Mr Mason began their business by recycling half-burned candles from Queen Anne’s palace. In the same spirit, F&M customers have been reusing and re-imagining their beautiful packaging ever since, from biscuit tins to paintbrush holders and tea caddies to plant pots.
And finally, not many people may be aware that the roof of Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly is home to a collection of beehives, a salmon smoker and an allotment (the produce of which is used in the restaurants) and all of which are packaged under the ‘Made in Piccadilly’ brand.
One thing the pandemic has really brought home to us all is the need to really seize the moment and not to put things off, for another day. I do regret not having travelled more or going after some of my dreams with more passion. I admit that I have far too often put my own needs in second place, focusing on what I “ought to do” rather than “what I want to do”. So I think its time to to live life to the fullest, to order the F&M hamper that have been coveting for years, and cherish all the things (big and small) that bring us joy.
If you have been following my blog for some time, you will know I have a long-standing affection for the Corinthia Hotel in London, from when we shot our first fashion shoot for an accessory label I launched with my ex-husband, to celebrating many family special occasions in one of the gorgeous hotel restaurants.
And as we all (wearily) come out out of lockdown, we are in much need for a soul-recharge, and insta-worthy openings like Kerridge’s Garden Grill at Corinthia are just what the doctor ordered. A holiday abroad might not be on the cards this year, but enjoying what is on offer and supporting our pandemic-beleaguered hospitality industry is something we can all willingly play our part. Kerridges Garden Grill sits in a never-before seen space surrounding the glass dome atop Corinthia London’s Baccarat chandelier. With a menu which plays on Chef Tom Kerridge’s reputation for serving his own take on the UK’s most celebrated dishes, and Laurent Perrier Champagne as champagne of choice, I will definitely be booking a table now before reservations are at full capacity!
Open daily for a limited period from 12 April-15 May 2021. For more information and to make a reservation see here
At the beginning of this year, I set myself targets in relation to my blog writing, and other personal goals, and was feeling proud two months in that I was keeping to these, but as news of the global pandemic emerged and lockdown took over, not to mention the challenges of a new job, my writing and inspiration dried up.
When the core concept of my blog is to showcase experiences and places, I struggled to see the point in featuring some of the places which I had visited previously. I felt huge concern for my friends in the hospitality industry and others who were not able to work from home as I and many others have been fortunate to do so. There was a sense of bleakness, a feeling of not knowing what the new world order would look like when we emerged from our homes, and it left me feeling at odds with the purpose of my blog.
And although we are not out of the woods yet, I have been uplifted by the spirit of human resilience and solidarity during these period. It goes without saying that the real heroes though it all have been the frontline workers and the amazing NHS.
But I have also been constantly impressed at the ingenuity and creativity of businesses and ways people have adapted in order to keep our collective spirits up. From one of my favourite restaurant chains Cote Brasserie within a number of weeks creating Cote at Home, to the Executive Chef of another of my London hangouts, Hotel Cafe Royal, Laurent Tourondel, posting pictures on Instagram of his amazing creations made at home and sharing his recipes.
And not to mention the numerous theatre performance streaming and virtual gallery tours available. Check out Time In (aka Time Out) for all the latest interesting things to do from home.
As well as finding new ways of spending free time, this period has also been an enforced time for many of us to reflect. Ats 2020 arrived, inspired by my friend Success Coach Rachel Letham Choose a Word for the year challenge, I decided upon the word “Restore” : to restore, rebuild and repair mind, body and soul after a difficult few years. By hitting pause, in this unexpected way, I have had time needed to go within and reset, and remember who my true authentic self really is.
My mission statement for the blog, indeed for life, has always been about following your bliss and that is equally applicable when sheltering in place or going about exploring the world at large. Life is what we make of it and as we reflect on how this pandemic has taken us all by surprise, it feels like we really should take stock of what truly matters to us and endeavour to make each moment count.
Stay Safe.
Sangeeta x
Main picture courtesy of my Instagram friend : @ria_jaynes_happy_snaps
As many of you will know from my Instagram posts, one of my favourite spots in London is Hotel Cafe Royal in Piccadilly and I have featured the hotel and its dining options which are available for non-guests a few times now on the blog, including their incredible afternoon tea experience in the spectacular Oscar Wilde Room. So I was thrilled to learn that they had launched a new Sunday brunch menu at the end of last year.
With the wet and windy weekends we have been experiencing in the UK not to mention the doom and gloom following Brexit, what could be better than to seek refuge in an interior design dream with delicious food and drink and in the company of good friends. Designed by Italian architect and designer Piero Lissoni with hues of brown, grey and bronze, Laurent Restaurant is on the first floor of Hotel Café Royal. The main dining room and bar overlooks the elegant sweep of Regent Street, with additional seating around the sensational Murano glass chandelier which takes centre stage in the hotel’s grand lobby.
Executive Chef Laurent Tourondel has brought New York to London with a fantastic brunch menu featuring dishes such as his incredible Truffle Popovers Benedict which are a twist on the classic Eggs Benedict using a truffle hollandaise sauce and lots of cheese. It is supremely rich in flavour, but worth visiting the restaurant just to try this dish as was absolutely exquisite.
Also on the menu, you will find classics such as avocado and salmon as well as country style pancakes. And of course there is the option to choose the bottomless brunch menu with includes one main dish with either unlimited Bloody Marys (£45), or VeuveClicquot (£65). To note the bottomless option is for two hours only, but that is plenty of time to enjoy the live jazz music and escape hectic city life for a few hours of much needed relaxation or catch up with friends.
The hotel describes itself as a ‘London luxury address like no other’, and this in my opinion is no overstatement. For over 150 years, Hotel Café Royal has been the ‘vibrant living room of London, the place to convene, converse and celebrate’ for famous visitors like Oscar Wilde, Muhammad Ali, Winston Churchill and David Bowie (indeed several of the spaces in the hotel are now named after these illustrious folks). The new Sunday brunch menu has further enhanced the hotel’s offering, and am even more of an ardent fan of this very special spot in London. I am looking forward to my next visit already!
We have all heard the phrase coined by The Dogs Trust that “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas” but unfortunately, the period after Christmas still tends to be the busiest for dog rescue charities, when the reality of looking after the new puppy or dog received as a gift sinks in, and hundreds of dogs in the UK are given up to rescue charities or simply abandoned on the street.
And although the dog charities work hard to make kennels as comfortable as possible, some dogs struggle in this environment, particularly older or unwell dogs. Therefore, foster carers play a vital role in helping provide the dogs with the extra attention and stability they need in this turbulent period of their lives. Foster homes also free up valuable kennel spaces so they can make room for more dogs in need and so less are are at risk of euthanasia.
Having had dogs for most of my life, when my two staffy cross dogs passed away in 2015 and 2016 respectively, I decided to be dog-free for a while, but I started to miss hearing the daily patter of paws and the general joie de vivre that comes from having a dog in the house, so when I learnt that my local dog charity All Dogs Matter needed extra foster homes, I signed up.
I took in an eight-year old staffy cross named Buster, with a chewed up tail, severe anxiety issues and nervousness around other dogs, in the summer of 2018. Twenty months later, Buster is still with me and I am starting to accept that I might end up as a ‘failed foster’ the term given when the foster parent falls in love with the dog their care, and proceeds to adopt it.
Now, as I understand it, my experience has been very unusual, as most dogs are rehomed within a month or two, and the foster arrangement is supposed to be a temporary one. But, as cute as he is, Buster is an older dog and has some behavioural issues, and that has prevented people from taking him on, and I have come to accept that fate might have brought as together.
The experience of fostering is an incredibly rewarding one and I have huge respect to the dog foster parents who have had several dogs in their care. Through my relationship with All Dogs Matter, I have come to learn about the fantastic people who support the charity, like Andrew and Katie who have fostered 12 dogs since 2017. You can read more about their experience here, but what is evident from speaking to them and others is that although it isn’t always an easy experience, it brings a lot of joy to both the dogs and their carers.
As ardent dog lovers, I am not surprised that, after caring for so many dogs in need, Andrew and Katie fell in love with the beautiful Marley, one of their previous foster dogs who had been rehomed, but then due to personal reasons had to be given up again, and so they decided to adopt him permanently. Lucky Marley!
Another fabulous family I met up with are Natascha and her mum Suzy and dad Michael who have now fostered an impressive 45 dogs for All Dogs Matter and the Mayhew Animal Home over the course of 10 years.
As Suzy says, “fostering is a wonderful and extremely rewarding experience but not always easy. Getting to know so many lovely dogs and seeing how quickly they change from being anxious and uncertain to becoming relaxed and confident is truly wonderful. In the vast majority of cases the dogs have simply been abandoned and we know very little about them when they arrive. The first thing we do is to let them run around in the garden, getting out a bit of pent up energy and nervous tension that has built up in the dog pound and then the rescue kennels. As long as they don’t have any health issues, we then take them on some long walks in Richmond park. We can assess how they react to other dogs and tire them out physically so they are then able to fully relax around the house and also begin training.
We fall instantly in love with every dog that comes through our home and give them huge amounts of love and cuddles. After having fostered so many dogs we can tell quite well after just a few days what type of temperament they have, whether there are any significant behavioural or health issues and what type of family would be ideal for their forever home. This is one of the most important roles of a foster family as it allows dogs and owners to be well matched. When people come to visit the dog in our home we can also show them how the dog behaves in a family setting. Every time a dog is successfully adopted and goes off to lead a happy new life it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
I am truly in awe of this amazing family and their selfless devotion to helping animals in need and even more impressive is how they keep in touch with many of the foster dogs that were in their care for years to come in a personal, and now sometimes in a professional capacity, as Natascha has recently qualified as a Medivet veterinarian and Percy one of the family’s foster dogs from ten years ago is now one of her patients.
There are too many amazing foster carers and dogs to mention individually in this post, but I salute them all. It is not an easy endeavour, but fostering really has an important role in the rehabilitation of rescue dogs, who have suffered neglect, abuse or injury, under the supervision of experienced dog owners. Living with a foster family can help to provide the dog with one-to-one care, allowing it to build up confidence and get used to a safe and normal lifestyle.
Fostering also gives dog lovers who would normally be unable to take in an animal long term, due to other commitments, with an alternative. Foster parents are not paid to look after the dogs, however they need to ensure that the dog won’t be left for more than four hours on its own. Typically bedding, food, vet treatments and insurance is provided, and most rescue centres will take the dog back if it doesn’t settle, but as the dog is usually assessed before being placed in foster care this isn’t usually an issue. It is also worth noting that dog owners can also foster if their own dog is sociable and this can also be a great way for the rescue dog to learn to live with another dog.
Buster has brought immeasurable joy to my life, and is a totally pampered pooch and as my Instagram followers will have noted, he has taken over my feed with a lot of pictures of him lazing in various dog beds, sunbathing on the deck or sporting a Christmas jumper, and I quickly forgave him for chewing up my new hallway carpet soon after arriving. Apart from this one indiscretion, he is perfectly house trained and has been a real pleasure to look after.
For more information, check out All Dogs Matter or your local dog rescue to see how you can help foster a dog or simply donate to help provide shelter for dogs in need.
The White Diaries
